


Eight Scars

by Fawn_Eyed_Girl



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Blood and Injury, Consensual Sex, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Violence, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:53:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28152678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fawn_Eyed_Girl/pseuds/Fawn_Eyed_Girl
Summary: Eight scars: eight significant moments in Kagome's life with Inuyasha when she returns to the Feudal Era and they begin their life together.Featuring commissioned art by:i-dream-of-soupkalciamamabearcatclementinesgulagdis-gruntled-beastclearwillowheavenin--hellthunderpotCheck out theEight Scars playlistfor some InuKag feels!**WINNER Best Canon and Best Complete atFeudal Connection1Q 2021 Inuyasha Fandom Awards**
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Comments: 277
Kudos: 292





	1. Scar 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nartista](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nartista/gifts).



> Hello everyone! I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> A very, _very_ happy birthday to my friend, [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/)! I am so blessed to know you, to work with you, and above all, to call you my friend. I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful day. As you can see from the number of chapters, we'll be celebrating your birthday for a while, which I hope is okay with you! There are some surprises coming...I hope you, and everyone else, enjoys them!
> 
> Special thanks to [NeutronStarChild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeutronStarChild) for talking out the initial ideas with me, and to her, [Ruddcatha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruddcatha), [gribedli](https://gribed-li.tumblr.com/), [Laeoukka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laeoukka), and [Lavendertwilight89](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavendertwilight89) for being such careful readers of this fic. I am so appreciative for all your help on this one!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Please enjoy!
> 
> This chapter features a stunning commissioned artwork by [i-dream-of-soup](https://i-dream-of-soup.tumblr.com/)!

She hasn’t expected him to be there. She really hadn’t.

She had expected that it would be like the first time; climbing out alone, panting and groaning a little from the effort of lifting herself, heaving her body over the well’s edge and onto the soft, sweet earth of Sengoku Jidai. She had expected that her return would be a shock, that she would quietly make her way back to the village, and everyone would be there, and she’d have the chance to say “surprise!” and hug Sango and maybe even Kaede and Miroku. And Shippo would jump into her arms and she would snuggle him.

And he would stand off to the side, arms folded into his haori, a scowl on his face, but his ears wiggling in their excitement.

She _hadn’t_ expected to feel his hand, large and rough, close over hers when she reached up to grab a vine. She hasn’t expected to feel the pricking of his claws against her skin. She hadn’t expected to be pulled gently up, up, up, the vines tugging on her sweater, her skirt, and her legs, and then see him there, face-to-face, his amber eyes blinking in disbelief, his face blank with shock.

“Inuyasha,” she murmured, “I’m sorry I was so long. Were you waiting for me?”

And then he crushed her in his arms, and she felt him lean forward ever so slightly; he was inhaling her scent, she knew.

“You idiot,” he said, but it was the most love he’d ever poured into any words he’d ever spoken to her, and she instantly forgave his harsh language.

That moment between them...was electric. His eyes were deep, golden flames burning only for her. Kagome closed her eyes and leaned forward…

“Kagome!”  
“Kagome!”  
“Kagome!”

And the spell was broken. Inuyasha blinked, and turned her around, so she couldn’t see the disappointment in his face. Kagome mustered up the most brilliant smile she could.

“Sango-chan! Miroku-sama! Shippo-chan!” she called. “I’m back!”

And so it had been a glorious reunion, even if it was not quite what Kagome had expected. She snuggled baby Hisui; the twins bowed to her solemnly; they had heard all about Kagome-sama, who was Mama’s best friend, from their father. Shippo immediately jumped into her arms, and she reveled in snuggling him close to her again. 

But all the while she sensed Inuyasha close by, watching, waiting, enjoying her presence, but afraid to get closer. She could feel his eyes on her; they weren’t harsh, but instead quiet, still in a state of disbelieving. She knew they needed to be alone... _she_ _had to find a way to get him alone_.

Kaede and Rin had been equally ecstatic to see her. Rin rushed up and hurled herself at Kagome; Inuyasha growled, but a stern look from Kagome hushed him immediately. Kaede was more refined, but her grin was a mile wide, and even Inuyasha couldn’t stay surly for long. 

Kaede made a magnificent feast of stew that was rich with vegetables and rabbit. The headman brought rice and sweets as gifts to celebrate the return of Kagome-sama, and they all sat down to enjoy this delicious, delicious meal. 

Kagome sighed and looked around at her friends. Sango and Miroku were cajoling the twins into eating; baby Hisui was squalling on his mama’s back. Sango eventually untied him and moved to the corner so she could nurse him in relative privacy. Her dinner was left untouched until the girls were fed; Miroku then picked up the bowl and joined Sango in the corner, where he proceeded to feed her as she nursed. The scene made Kagome’s heart both warm and break.

She turned to look at Inuyasha, who was engaged in a spirited debate with Shippo about the benefits of fox fire. Shippo had been going to the kitsune academy regularly, and doing well, and he was becoming a formidable opponent (with his mouth, at any rate). Inuyasha met each of Shippo’s barbs, but Kagome could tell: unlike three years ago, there was no bite to them anymore, and he argued with Shippo with a half-grin on his face the entire time, one ear focused solely on Kagome, his golden eyes drifting over to her every so often, as though to make sure that she was still there.

Kaede and Rin were talking about their plans for the next day; apparently Kaede was going to take Rin to see Jinenji, and work on continuing Rin’s education in the healing arts. Although Rin didn’t show any reiki, she was a gentle soul, and had a good bedside manner, or so Kaede said, and thus was a useful aide, especially in times of labor and delivery. 

“Do you want to go with us to see Jinenji tomorrow, Kagome?” Kaede asked her suddenly.

“What?” Kagome had been listening, yes, but hadn’t really been paying attention.

“Jinenji, Kagome-sama,” Rin piped up, “do you want to go with us to see Jinenji tomorrow?”

Kagome shot a hesitant look at Inuyasha; he scoffed and crossed his arms, his look defiant. Kagome sighed inwardly. 

Maybe not much had changed in three years, after all.

Kagome took a breath. “Maybe?” she said. “I think I’d like to stay and catch up with everyone.” And when she said _everyone_ , she looked right at Inuyasha; he turned bright red and jammed his arms into his haori, not saying a word. But his eyes blazed molten lava, and Kagome felt a shiver go down her spine.

“Keh,” he said, standing up suddenly, “it’s time to go.” He crossed to Kagome and held a hand out to her. “You’ve had a long day,” he said, “and it’s time for you to get some rest.”

“But—?” Kagome was confused. Wouldn’t she be staying _here_ , with Kaede and Rin?

“Inuyasha has been hard at work preparing a hut for you, Kagome-sama,” said Miroku from the corner. He was still feeding Sango, who was still feeding Hisui. “It’s on the edge of the forest, where Inuyasha is more comfortable. He doesn’t like the prying eyes of the village on him.”

“Shut up, bouzu,” Inuyasha snapped. His eyes flashed at Kagome: lightning gold and vibrant. “Are ya comin’, ‘Gome?”

Kagome looked around. Surely they couldn’t expect her to….?

“I will expect you here bright and early, Kagome,” said Kaede smoothly, running her gnarled hands over the front of her hakama. “We start training just after sunrise.”

Kagome let out a breath and smiled. “Ummm...yes, Kaede-obaa-chan,” she said. “I’ll be here.” She held out her hand to Inuyasha; he pulled her standing. “I’m ready,” she told him.

He grunted. “Great. See you tomorrow, everyone.” And he lifted the bamboo doormat and tugged Kagome out.

The walk to Inuyasha’s hut was quiet. He walked swiftly; Kagome had to run to keep up with him. He seemed...angry? Determined? Frustrated? Kagome couldn’t quite get a read on his emotions, and it was making her own emotions fluctuate like crazy.

“Inu—Inuyasha?” she said tentatively. “Can we slow down?”

Inuyasha turned and looked at her, panting and trying to keep up, as though he were seeing her for the first time. He frowned, but slowed his gait to a moderate walk; his legs were still so long that Kagome was trotting to keep at his side. She clung tightly to his hand; she was afraid that if she let go, he would take off into the woods and she wouldn’t see him again.

“Here we are,” he said suddenly, and came to a halt. Kagome nearly walked past him in her haste. She stopped, and looked at the hut, reflected in the moonlight. “Inuyasha,” she breathed. 

“It’s not much,” he said grumpily, “but I’ve been fixing it up, a little bit at a time, as I’ve had time, which hasn’t been much, surprisingly.” 

“No,” Kagome said quickly, grabbing his sleeve. “It’s...it’s…” she didn’t have the words to tell him how perfect and amazing she thought it was.

That she thought _he_ was.

That he’d been planning all this time for her, for _them_. And that _did things_ to her, to her insides, to her heart and her soul, that she had been expecting, but maybe not quite like this?

“It’s _perfect_ ,” she breathed, and gripped his hand more tightly.

“Keh,” he said, shrugging, but even in the moonlight she could see the faint blush on his cheeks. “Let’s go in.” And he drew her along after him, towards his hut.

No...towards _their_ hut.

Kagome took a deep breath as Inuyasha moved the doormat and let her in. He stepped in after her. “Here,” he said quickly, before she could start fumbling around in the dark, “let me light the fire.” He kept hold of her hand and led her to a place where he pushed her gently to a seated position. He then let her go, and he bustled around for several moments before Kagome heard him striking the flint to start the fire. Inuyasha soon had it going, and once the flames were roaring, Kagome took a moment to look around.

It was small, but cozy. There were two futons rolled up against one wall; a makeshift table was carved into the opposite wall. Kagome saw bowls, and several rough pans, and cups, along with baskets that she could tell held vegetables and dried meats. The cooking cauldron hung on a steel rope over the fire. Kagome couldn’t help but grin. Inuyasha had thought of everything.

Once he was happy with the size of the blaze, Inuyasha settled in beside her, watching her carefully in the firelight. Kagome’s breath caught, and not for the first time that day. His eyes were large, and curious, and full of love and patience and desperate loneliness. She knew he must have missed her, just like she missed him, but in that moment, she realized that the depths of her loneliness could never compare to what he must have gone through in those three years they were apart.

In that moment, Kagome resolved, once again, to be by his side. Always.

Inuyasha’s fingers on her leg brought Kagome’s attention back to the present. “What—what are you doing?” she cried, more confused than anything else.

He bent his head to her calf, then her knee, then her thigh, as though he were sniffing for something. Kagome turned bright red, and tried to rip her leg out of his grasp, but he only held it tighter and proceeded to inspect it more closely. “I—Inu—Inuyasha?” she asked, more quietly.

“Your leg,” he muttered, more to himself than to Kagome, “why didn’t I notice it before? My stupid fucking nose...of all the times for it to be distracted!” He growled and pressed his face to her leg. Kagome realized with a start that he was _licking_ her, and she gasped and pulled her leg away reflexively. 

What...what was he _doing?_

_And why did it feel so good?_

He looked up at her, his golden eyes surprised and hurt. When she saw his ears droop, she realized what she had done, and she relaxed her body against him.

“I’m—I’m sorry, Inuyasha,” she murmured. “It just—you were—it took me by surprise, that’s all,” she finished lamely. 

“You—you’re hurt, ‘Gome,” he said, lifting her leg and pointing to a spot on her thigh, just below her skirt hem. Kagome leaned over and looked down. She saw that Inuyasha was, in fact, correct: there was a gash along her thigh, maybe two inches long, covered in dried blood. “How did this happen?” he demanded. “You’ve been with me the whole fucking time. How the fuck did you get hurt on your first day here?”

Kagome paused, thinking back to the day and what they had done. Her eyes snapped open in recognition.

“I—I think it happened when you pulled me out of the well!” she exclaimed softly. “I remember feeling branches and vines tearing at me when I was going up, but then I saw you, and I forgot everything.” 

Inuyasha frowned; his countenance turned inward. “Keh,” he groused. “It’s because I was so stupid and happy and in shock, I grabbed you and pulled you out of the damn well too fast.”

Kagome reached forward and cupped his face. “I was excited to see you too, Inuyasha,” she whispered.

He paused briefly to nuzzle her hand; they remained that way for a moment, enjoying each other’s presence, finally reunited and alone after three long, miserable years: of waiting, of hoping, of longing, of loving. 

Kagome broke their connection first; she looked down at her leg, scrutinizing the mark. “It’s probably going to leave a scar,” Kagome commented, a little sad that her skin would be marred.

Inuyasha caught the sadness in her scent, so he leaned down, and gently kissed the spot on her thigh that had been cut. “Good,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “That means that your body will always remember the day that you came back to me.”

[ ](https://i-dream-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/637860814732296192/happy-birthday-to-the-lovely-and-amazing)

Commissioned Artwork by [i-dream-of-soup](https://i-dream-of-soup.tumblr.com/)

* * *


	2. Scar 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome tries to cook Inuyasha dinner, with painful consequences. Inuyasha asks Kagome an important question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and well.
> 
> The [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/) birthday train continues with Chapter 2 of Eight Scars! In this chapter, Kagome struggles to adjust to her new life, and Inuyasha has something to say to her. 
> 
> This chapter features stunning commissioned artwork from [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)! Please enjoy!

Kagome was worried.

It was late. Inuyasha had promised that he would return—with dinner!—before dark, but the sun had set at least an hour before, and still he hadn't come back.

Kagome was pacing the tiny hut they shared, anxiously trying not to lose her shit. She should have known that this would happen—she should have known that things would come up on these exorcism trips he took with Miroku; she should have known that there would be nights that he would come home late, where she would be waiting up for him.

She mentally kicked herself. Sango had offered to let Kagome stay with them until Inuyasha and Miroku returned, but Kagome had simply waved her friend off, saying that she wanted to be home when Inuyasha got there. She didn’t want to wait for him in other houses.

She wanted to wait for him in theirs.

Well, it wasn’t technically their house yet? It was still just his; they weren’t married. Yet. They hadn’t even kissed since she’d been back! Yet.

Kagome wanted desperately to change these things. She wanted desperately for Inuyasha to take her in his arms and kiss her passionately, lovingly. She wanted desperately for Inuyasha to take her to the headman’s hut and put their names on the register, for him to take her to the shrine, for Kaede and Miroku to marry them.

There were so many things she wanted. But would she be able to ask for them? And, would Inuyasha give them to her, if she did ask?

As Kagome paced the floor, her eyes fell on the heavy iron pot bubbling above the fire. She’d been keeping water boiling as much as possible: for tea, for rice, for potential meals.

And now, she realized with a start, it was boiling to prepare dinner. Dinner for her...and for Inuyasha.

Who was still...not home.

Kagome slowly made her way over to the long table that Inuyasha had erected along one wall of the hut. Her worry had been occupying all the space in her mind, so maybe, just maybe, prepping and cooking dinner could push some of that worry out and give her the distraction she so needed.

Swiftly, Kagome snagged a variety of vegetables, and began chopping them up. Once she had a solid pile of vegetables, she went through her herb stores, to see what she, Kaede, and Rin had been busy gathering: Ginger, negi, mitsuba...she chopped up those spices and herbs, as well, and added them to her pile of vegetables. She opened a pot she kept on the table, to check their rice supply. She’d made several servings that morning, and yes, there was still enough for them to have stew over rice for dinner.

Kagome picked up her vegetables and herbs and brought them over to the irori, where the water was still bubbling away in the heavy iron pot over the fire. She frowned; she realized that she should have made a broth from the last set of bones that Inuyasha had brought home, but she was still getting used to life in Sengoku Jidai, and she wasn’t always thinking about making the most of each part of the animal.

Next time, she told herself, next time I’ll make some amazing broth, and that dinner will taste even better! She sighed. Because I won’t be thinking about how much I’m missing Inuyasha.

A clattering at the bamboo mat had Kagome turning her head to look and see who was there. She stumbled against the wood surrounding the fire, and dropped all her vegetables and herbs into the scalding hot water. Some of it splashed out and landed on her arms, and Kagome cried out, unable to stop her voice against the heat of the water.

Instantly, rough, but tender, arms surrounded her, and held her close.

“Silly woman,” said a familiar gruff voice. “What in all the hells do you think you were doing?”

“I was trying to start dinner, Inuyasha,” Kagome said through gritted teeth. She held up the sleeves of her kosode so she could inspect the damage. She hissed when she saw red streaks shooting up both her arms; there was one on the inside of her right arm that was particularly nasty, and made Kagome wince when she dragged the fabric of her kosode over it.

Inuyasha sucked in a breath. “Those look bad, Kagome.”

Kagome shrugged; Inuyasha pressed the pad of his finger to the burn, and Kagome cried out at the pain. They both watched as the skin turned a ghastly white before it turned back to red.

“It’s a burn, for sure,” Inuyasha commented.

Kagome took her arm out of his hand, willing herself not to cry. “I’ll...I’ll be okay,” she said, wishing for all the world she’d had the sense to pack a first-aid kit before she left modern-day Tokyo.

Inuyasha set her on the ground and stood up. “I’ll be right back,” he said, and strode out of the hut. Kagome sat on the floor where he had set her, nursing her burned arm. Why was she so klutzy? But really, he should have knocked before he came in. It would have prepared her. Because he startled her when he came in. He could have been anyone!

“‘Gome?” Inuyasha said tentatively, poking his head between the bamboo mat and the doorframe.

“I’m—I’m okay,” she said, sighing. “You didn’t scare me this time.”

Inuyasha came to her side and settled himself in front of her. He had been carrying a bucket of what Kagome assumed was water, which he now set down between them. “Give me your arm,” he said firmly. Kagome hesitated, but he looked so determined, she held out her arm and he took it gingerly. Inuyasha examined it from all angles. “Fuck, yeah,” he muttered, “that’s a bad burn.” He took a piece of linen from inside his haori, dipped it in the water, wrung it out lightly, then applied the linen to her burn. Kagome hissed at the pain, but she allowed him to keep the linen there, the cool of the fabric penetrating the heat of her burn.

[ ](https://kalsies.tumblr.com/post/637948950880600064/i-was-commissioned-by-fawn-eyed-girl-for-second)

Commissioned Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

“What were you thinking anyway, Kagome?” Inuyasha asked, removing the linen and dipping it in the water again. “You could have waited for me to get home, and I would have helped with dinner.”

Kagome pouted. “You’re always around though, Inuyasha,” she pointed out. “And that’s kind of the problem. I need to learn how to do things for myself. You can’t protect me every minute of every day, you know.”

“I can sure as fuck try,” he growled, dipping the linen back in the water and letting it get nice and cool before he reapplied it to the burn.

“But you can’t,” she insisted. “I have to learn how to do things in this time. I have to learn how to survive, and that means cooking for myself, cleaning for myself, hunting for myself...I need to learn how to do all of these things, if I’m going to stay here and be…” She immediately sealed her lips shut and looked away.

“If you’re going to be what, Kagome?” Inuyasha asked, pressing onto the burn a little harder than he intended. Kagome winced at the pain, and he immediately removed his hand. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly, frantically, “I’m so sorry. Did that hurt a lot?”

“It’s—it’s fine.” She did not want to have this conversation with him right now. She did not want to tell him she had been expecting to come back and get married and...other things...basically right away.

Nope, she did not want to be the one to initiate that conversation, so….

“It’s really fine,” she said again.

“It’s not fucking fine, ‘Gome!” he said, the heat making his voice rise. “Tell me what you want!”

“I—I want—” she couldn’t say it.

And he sat there, his hands dripping wet from the sopping linen resting between them, now forgotten. His golden eyes glowed a blazing amber, like the depths of a volcano, and they were starting to ignite.

“What do you want me to do, Kagome?” he said quietly, and fuck, that might have been even worse than him yelling at her.

“I—I—I want you to kiss me,” she choked out finally, her voice rough with need.

“You—what?” Now he was sure that he was hearing her wrong.

She turned her face to him fully; she saw his amber eyes, wide with surprise, shock, and...if she wasn’t mistaken…

Want.

Inuyasha...wanted...to kiss her….too?

Brown eyes met gold as the two stared at each other for a long, dreadful time. Kagome could feel it inside of her; this was one of those moments, where her future was about to be decided, and the air was crackling with the anticipation.

Could...could she do it?

And before she could make the decision, he was on her, his lips pressing against hers. She started at the suddenness of his move, and moaned softly as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, exploring all that was Kagome—his Kagome.

Her burn momentarily forgotten, Kagome leaned in eagerly and accepted the kiss. His lips were slightly rough, but moist, and they rubbed against her own so very well. They moved together, Inuyasha’s arms snaking around her shoulders, Kagome practically scrambling into his lap.

This...this was what she had been waiting for. This closeness, this experience. The heat of his body matching the heat of hers. His muscled arms wrapped around her; her breasts crushed to his chest; his tongue devouring her. This was what she’d wanted, what she’d needed, what she’d…

“Marry me,” he whispered against her lips.

“What?” Kagome drew back, and grimaced at the pain in her arm again.

He leaned forward to capture her lips again; he felt so amazing she nearly collapsed right into his arms. When he broke the kiss, she could see that his eyes were the color of darkened honey, but playful.

“I shoulda...I shoulda asked ya the first night you were here,” he said, suddenly shy. His eyes were bright, though, as he gazed at her intently.

“Every day without you, ‘Gome, was one less day that I was alive,” Inuyasha said slowly, affixing another damp cloth to Kagome’s arm. “And now that you’re here...fuck,” he cursed, “fuck. I don’t ever want to be apart from you again.”

“I feel the same way,” Kagome said softly. “I never want to be apart from you again, either.”

“Then you’ll do it?” he asked hopefully.

Kagome smiled, and nodded.

“I will, Inuyasha. I’ll marry you. And be the happiest bride in the entire world.”

Inuyasha kissed her again, then leaned down, removed the linen, and gently kissed her burn.

“One scar for the day you told me that you’d marry me,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple of notes about this chapter:
> 
> The irori is the traditional hearth in a Japanese house. It's a square pit lined with either wood or stone, and it has an adjustable pothook (called a jizaikagi) that can be raised or lowered with a lever. Kagome would be cooking her meals here.
> 
> For the herbs and spices she uses: we know ginger; negi is a long onion; and mitsuba is similar to parsley.
> 
> I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! What could be in the next chapter, if Inuyasha and Kagome got engaged here?... 🤔😏 Thanks everyone so much for reading!


	3. Scar 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha, Kagome, and all their friends have reason to celebrate. Inuyasha and Kagome have an extra-special celebration at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and.or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to chapter 3 of Eight Scars! The [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/) birthday train continues today with a very special chapter, featuring a special piece of commissioned artwork by [mamabearcat](https://mamabearcatfanart.tumblr.com/)! I hope that you all enjoy!
> 
> Please note that this chapter contains sexual content--be sure to heed the tags!

Kagome stood in front of Kaede’s hut, smiling at her friends, who were enjoying a lovely dinner that had been prepared by Kaede and Sango and Rin, in honor of Kagome and Inuyasha’s wedding.

It had been the loveliest of days. Not long after Inuyasha had proposed to her, he started making plans for the wedding. It was...adorable?...because Kagome had _no_ idea what to do, other than go to the headman, get on the register, go to the shrine, drink sake, be married. She’d seen plenty of weddings at her own shrine, in her own time, but she didn’t know if Shinto weddings were the same, different, more complex five hundred years in the past, or what.

But somehow, he’d known just what to do. He went to Kaede and Miroku first, and spent several hours in deep discussion with them about expectations for the wedding, and for the bridal couple. When he mentioned to her that he would work on obtaining a traditional wedding haori and hakama, she squashed that suggestion quickly, telling him she preferred him in his usual fire-rat and hakama, as opposed to something strange and foreign. She was, after all, marrying _Inuyasha_ , and she could scarcely imagine him wearing anything else.

Kagome was a different story, though. Inuyasha, Sango, and Rin spent an afternoon at the market, going through all the different fabrics that were there; Kagome, much to her chagrin, was _not_ allowed to join in on the fun, Inuyasha insisting that she needed to keep up with her training and accompany Kaede on her rounds in the village. Kagome couldn’t help but feel a little bit salty about that? It _was_ her wedding, after all, so shouldn’t she get _some_ say in what she was going to wear?

Turned out, _no one_ got a say in the wedding kimono.

A few days before the ceremony, Rin showed up at Kagome and Inuyasha’s hut, carrying a parcel wrapped carefully in brown paper. She and Kagome sat on the floor of the hut and opened it, carefully, and both of them gasped at what was inside.

It was a beautiful silk kimono, white, with red chrysanthemums, dragons, and dogs galloping across the fabric. Accompanying it was a red and gold silk brocade obi, a new white cotton kosode, tabi, geta, and an elaborate silver, red, and gold brocade hair tie. 

“Where...where did this come from, Rin?” Kagome asked in a hushed voice.

“Sesshomaru-sama was here this morning,” Rin said simply. “He brought me a new kimono, and then said this package was for you. I asked if he would be back for the wedding, and he looked at me like that was the _last_ thing he would ever do. He said he would see me soon...and then was gone. And I came right here to bring this to you.”

Kagome ran her fingers over the beautiful, delicate fabric. She’d never had any clothing so beautiful, much less….

“This is my wedding kimono, Rin,” Kagome said with a sudden realization. “Sesshomaru sent me a wedding kimono.”

“He does things like that,” Rin said, nodded sagely. “He drops off extravagant gifts, then goes on his way, never saying a word about it.”

“How—how did he know Inuyasha and I were going to be married?” she asked.

Rin shrugged. “Sesshomaru-sama knows everything that goes on in his lands,” she reasoned simply. 

Kagome frowned. As much as she loved the fabric—she really did!—she worried about what Inuyasha would say. If he hadn’t said anything to Sesshomaru—and she was pretty sure that he didn’t—then what would Inuyasha think about his brother sending her a wedding kimono?

They didn’t have long to wait to find out. Inuyasha came back from his morning patrol of the forest, and Rin skedaddled pretty quickly, afraid to face Inuyasha’s wrath should he be angry about Sesshomaru’s gift. But, Kagome had to admit….he took it well...and seemed...grateful...and relieved? He simply nodded, then instructed her to put it away until the wedding, as it was bad luck for the future husband to see the wedding ensemble of his future wife.

Perhaps more had changed between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru than Kagome had thought.

And today, she and Inuyasha had gone to the headman and had their names put into the register (and created their _own_ family register—a thought that made Kagome squeal inwardly with joy). Now, all their closest friends were there, and they were all together (minus Sesshomaru, of course, but Kagome suspected he was someplace close by, watching the festivities...she could nearly detect _something_ on the outside of her senses, and she thought it was the daiyoukai), and Kagome couldn’t help but smile. This had been the day she had been waiting for, for three years... _no_. Four years. Her whole life. 

This moment, with Inuyasha, who was now...her husband.

Kagome blushed a little when she thought about all that entailed, but also...she was incredibly excited, too.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t dreamed about what it would be like to feel Inuyasha’s hands on her body. She already knew every inch of him, almost as well as she knew herself, and now that he was her husband, she got the full rights to stare and ogle and dream about him as she saw fit. And the entire day, she _had_ stared at him, as though seeing him for the first time:

His hair, silver and shiny and soft, blowing gently in the breeze. She thought about burying her face in his hair as he carried her on his back, and the soft, sweet scent of pine that radiated from it. She couldn’t wait to lose herself in it as she snuggled in close with him at night—now that they were married, they would be pushing those two futons together to make one, and she felt all kinds of tingly in different parts of her body at the thought of sharing a bed with Inuyasha.

Because even though she loved him, even though she had married him...they had only kissed a few times. All the tenderness, all the loving touches...they were all above the clothes, and all moments that had left Kagome wanting more.

So much more.

His eyes. Golden, glowing, molten heat. Anxiously searching the gathering for her, then relaxing and settling into a contented countenance when they found her. She found herself smiling at him reassuringly, and his return scowl had lost much of its fire. Instead, he winked at her playfully, one fang poking out below his upper lip, and she wished she had something to hold onto, because she was going to faint away as she imagined those fangs dragging over the most delicate parts of her body.

His arms. He didn’t show them much, but holy gods in all the heavens, when he did…

When they had separated three years ago, Inuyasha’s body had been more like a boy’s still: long, lean, and sinewy. But now, he was starting to take on the physique of a man; he was clearly stronger and more muscular; when he tucked up the sleeves of his haori and kosode, she could see how solid his forearms were, and it made her shiver in anticipation.

She caught Inuyasha looking at her from across the group, where he’d been sitting with Miroku. His amber eyes looked confused, then he seemed to sniff the air, and then his face settled into a smirk, and he held her gaze, steady and sure, like he knew _exactly_ what she was thinking. And _that_ realization went right to the juncture of her thighs, where she tensed up. Kagome’s breath quickened and she clutched at her heart in an attempt to slow it down. She could feel her reiki swirling around her, frantic in its effort to calm her down.

“‘All right, wife?” Inuyasha had caught the change in her body language and was at her side in an instant. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply.

“Inu—Inuyasha,” she breathed. She felt him chuckle above her.

“I know what you’re thinking, ‘Gome,” he said huskily, “because I’ve been thinking the same fucking thing since the moment I saw you in that damn gorgeous kimono.” He paused, and stood up straight. Then, clearing his throat loudly, he waited for everyone to grow quiet. 

“Thank you, everyone, for being here to help us celebrate our marriage,” he said simply. Kagome noticed that his voice had taken on a regal tone, and it was driving her insane.

Inuyasha clearly detected the shift in her scent, because his next sentences were strained. “We would like to ask that you enjoy the rest of the meal on our behalf. My wife is...tired, and I would like to be able to take her back to our home so she can rest from the excitement of the day.” He turned to face her; Kagome had never seen such a mix of tenderness and desire before, and she wanted to throw him to the ground and kiss the shit out of him immediately.

But instead, she held onto her sense of propriety, and bowed as well. “Kaede-obaa-chan, Miroku-sama,” she said formally, “thank you for overseeing the ceremony. It was beautiful. Sango-chan, Rin,” she said, turning to her friends, “thank you for helping me dress, and for helping Kaede-obaa-chan with the meal. And Shippo-chan,” she said finally, turning to the kitsune, “thank you for lighting up the clearing with your fox fire.” She suddenly felt weirdly emotional. “You all worked hard today,” she added, “and it seems only right that you be able to enjoy it.”

“I’ve arranged for several jugs of sake to be delivered,” Inuyasha said suddenly, “and I ask that you drink to us in our absence. But don’t you dare overdo it, bouzu,” he continued, pointing a claw at Miroku, who simply blinked and feigned innocence in a way that made Kagome so nostalgic she nearly burst into tears.

Sango rose and walked over to her friend. She hugged Kagome closely. “Congratulations, Kagome-chan,” she whispered. “I know that you and Inuyasha will be so happy together.”

“We already are, Sango-chan,” Kagome whispered back. “This just makes everything so much better.”

Inuyasha heard what she said, and couldn’t help but grin at her words.

Miroku then helped Kaede to rise, and they all said their goodbyes to the newlywed couple, one by one, Inuyasha growling when Kagome accepted a friendly hug from Miroku. Then he took Kagome by the hand, tucking her fingers into the crook of his elbow.

“Until tomorrow, you fools,” he growled. He turned to Kagome; his face instantly settled into a soft smile. “Ready to go home, wife?” he asked her.

Kagome squeezed his elbow. “Ready, husband,” she replied, and her heart fluttered at the way his eyes lit up at her use of the term.

Inuyasha offered one last wave, then he and Kagome set off across the clearing, past the huts in the center of the village, past Miroku and Sango’s hut, towards their own little hut at the end of the village, the hut that Inuyasha and Kagome would call home, together.

Kagome continued her examination of Inuyasha as they walked. He was so tall, and handsome, and strong...and now they were married, and that thought continued to make her insides churn in pleasant ways. Occasionally he would glance down at her, get a glimpse of her staring at him, and he would, by turns, gulp, grunt, or grin awkwardly at her.

They both knew what was coming. Kagome wondered if Inuyasha was as excited—and as nervous—as she was.

All too soon, their hut was there on the horizon, a dark shadow against the trees of Inuyasha’s Forest. Kagome loved that their hut was there—on the border of where they met, close to the Goshinboku and the Bone Eater’s Well. Even if the well didn’t open anymore, even if she could never go home again...Kagome still felt warm, knowing that her family was close by. Or, as close as they would ever get.

Inuyasha pushed aside the bamboo doormat and allowed Kagome to step into their home ahead of him. “Here,” he grunted, “wait.” And once again he busied himself starting the fire; Kagome also heard him rustling around, doing a few more things. She wished her eyes were better in the dark; all she could see was his dark outline moving around the hut. 

Then, the fire roared to life, and Kagome blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked around, and both gasped and smiled at what she saw. 

Inuyasha had rolled out the futons and pushed them together, topping them with several blankets, and what looked like Kagome’s old sleeping bag?

“I thought you might like to have something from home here,” he said shyly. “Kaede’s been holding onto it all this time, and I thought maybe it could be like our…”

“Like our special blanket?” Kagome finished. “Like a marriage blanket?”

Inuyasha nodded, suddenly shy, not meeting her gaze.

Kagome’s heart caught in her throat. It was such a sweet gesture, for him to think of her in that way. To know that she would want something of home close by, and that she would get to sleep with it, every night. She crossed to the other side of the fire, where Inuyasha was standing awkwardly beside the futons. She reached up and cupped his face gently in her hands, turning his face so that their gazes met.

“Inuyasha,” she said softly, “that was incredibly sweet and thoughtful of you. And _of course_ I appreciate what you’ve done for me. That you were thinking of me, and worried that I might miss my home. Which I do, of course,” she added, but held his face tightly when he tried to look away. “But I made the decision to come _here_ , to be with _you_ , to marry _you_ , because without you, life was dull, listless. Life was boring. Life was empty. Since I have been here, with you, I have felt more alive in these past few months than I had in three years.” She paused and laughed quietly. “Because I love you, you baka. I love you more now than I loved you before, and that love keeps growing, every day.” She hesitated; his eyes were on her, only her, golden and glowing and dark with desire for her. 

“And I expect,” she continued, and _when had her voice dropped?_ “That after tonight, it will continue to grow.” And she reached up, brought Inuyasha’s face to hers, and gently captured his lips with hers.

The kiss was deep; it was passionate; it was needy. Kagome poured into it all the love and loss and loneliness that she had felt while they were apart, and Inuyasha responded eagerly, returning the pressure to her lips and wrapping her up in his arms.

“Kagome,” he whispered, breaking the kiss and hugging her close to him. “Kagome, Kagome, my wife, Kagome.”

Kagome smiled against his chest. “My husband, Inuyasha,” she breathed back, hugging him just as tightly. She allowed her fingers to gently caress his back, feeling the muscles through his haori and kosode, even with two layers of fabric there. She was gripped by a sudden, undeniable urge to know what his skin felt like—to _touch_ him, really _touch_ him, for the first time ever. To know what it was like to feel the heat of his skin against herself. The heat of his lips, in places other than her own lips. The thought made her gasp with want, and Inuyasha used that moment to tentatively probe his tongue between her lips. 

Kagome nearly froze up from surprise, but she forced herself to relax and open her mouth fully, allowing his tongue inside. He explored her gently, rubbing up against her own tongue, her teeth, her cheeks...wherever she would let him reach. And the feel of his tongue inside her, penetrating and slick and warm, made her want _other things_ inside her, things she had never wanted inside her before...but with Inuyasha, she realized, she wanted everything. 

Kagome’s hands came around to the front of his body. She gripped the hem of his haori tightly in her hands, tugging it gently, up and out of his hakama. He felt her hands, and growled in her mouth, and Kagome felt that tingling between her legs again, and she tugged at him harder. 

She didn’t know why, but she needed him naked. _Now_.

At last, his haori came free from his body, and Kagome worked her fingers into his kosode, as well. When the pads brushed up against his bare skin, they both hissed, and Kagome thrust her tongue deep into Inuyasha’s mouth. His eyes shot open in surprise, then he growled again, and started to clutch at her obi, desperately trying to get it undone. He didn’t want to rip it—this was her wedding ensemble, gifted to her by his brother, and he didn’t want to destroy it after she’d worn it for only a few hours, but…

 _Fuck_. It was in the fucking way.

Kagome felt Inuyasha’s frustration at trying to untie her obi, and in one swift movement, she tore his clothing from out of his hakama. He shook his arms a little, helping her remove his haori and kosode. Kagome then broke the kiss, leaving Inuyasha panting and whining after her, so she could take a step back and look at him. She reached out and laid a hand against his chest, closing her eyes, and gently traced his muscles, her breath hitching as she felt his nipples, sharp and at attention for her. She heard him growl lightly, and she tweaked one...she couldn’t help it...and when his growl became louder, she tweaked the other one, and giggled.

“Dammit wife.” Inuyasha’s voice was deep, and dark, and reedy. “Are ya just gonna stand there all day and feel me up?” Her eyes opened to see him standing before her, a feral glint in his gaze. “Or are ya gonna let me do more than that to you?”

“Inu—Inuyasha,” she gasped, “ _yes_.” Kagome began to work at her obi, trying to untie the knots; it took some effort, but she finally managed to free herself, and she dropped the obi beside her, the brocade glowing in the firelight. Her kimono fell more naturally around the curves of her body, and Inuyasha growled again, but this time, with pleasure, and with need.

“Ka—Kagome,” he said. “May I?”

Kagome blinked slowly and took a deep breath. “You...you may,” she agreed. She took a step towards him, and Inuyasha held his hands out to her, gingerly, as though he was afraid to touch her. “It’s okay,” she assured him. “You can’t hurt me. And I’m not going anywhere.” She smiled faintly. “Remember? I love you, and I’m your wife, and you’re my husband. In the eyes of this village, in the eyes of the gods, we are one.”

Inuyasha had to blink back tears. She was so fucking beautiful, there in the firelight, with her hair tied back in a low bun, gleaming blue-black in the firelight; her chocolate eyes glowing; her kimono slipping slightly open, just enough for him to wish he could see more. 

And her words... _fuck_ , she was so fucking right. They were married, in the eyes of the law and the gods; there was nothing anyone could do to break them up. Kagome was here, and she wasn’t leaving. She wasn’t going anywhere. _He_ wasn’t going anywhere. 

For the rest of their lives, it would be them. Together. 

Inuyasha took a step towards her...slowly, reverently. She looked at him, blinking. “What is it, anata?” she asked. “What’s wrong?” He knew she could probably see his tears, but he didn’t care. 

“You’re—I’m…” he didn’t have the words to tell her how he felt. “We’re...it’s you, Kagome. It’s me, and you. And I’m so fucking happy, I almost have to wonder what’s going to go wrong. When you’re going to leave. When we’re going to be separated again.”

Kagome could hear the neediness in his voice. She realized: he had to know that she was here, that she wasn’t going anywhere. But how to do that?

“Touch me,” she said suddenly. “Touch me, Inuyasha.”

“Kagome?” he said hesitantly. “Touch you?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. She took his hands, and pressed them to her breasts. “ _Touch me_.” And she forced his hands to squeeze, gently, and Inuyasha sucked in his breath.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m your wife,” she said. “You’re my husband.” She paused, a dark glow taking over her brown eyes. “This is what we’re supposed to do,” she whispered. “And it’s what I’ve wanted to do, for a very long time.”

Inuyasha let out a feral growl and crushed her lips with his. She was right; she was so fucking right. He’d longed to touch her from almost the moment they’d met. But her age, and decorum, and Naraku...all that made being with her in the way he really wanted nearly impossible. Now, though they were together, and they were married, and he...he just...

“I love you, Kagome,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you,” she whispered back, her hands roaming over the bare expanse of his back and his arms. 

Inuyasha moved his kisses along her jawline, using his fangs to delicately tease the skin. He wanted to know: what would she like? How could he make her feel good? 

Because he would do anything she wanted. Anything that gave her pleasure. She was _his_ Kagome, and his alone, just like he was _her_ Inuyasha. 

His hands traveled to the edges of her kimono and parted the fabric gently. He felt the cotton of her kosode, and then under that, the creaminess of her skin. His breath hitched, and he had to kiss her again, Kagome moaning slightly under the pressure of his lips. One flick of his wrists, and her kimono and kosode slipped down her shoulders; Kagome shifted her arms so that her clothes would fall completely to the ground, the white and red silk glimmering in the firelight.

Her bra was next. Kagome had taken to wearing bindings most of the time, but for such an auspicious day, she wanted to wear her bra and undies she’d been wearing the day she returned to Inuyasha. Her bra was a pretty cream, with navy blue dots and edged with navy blue lace, and her panties matched. She took a step away from Inuyasha; he tried to pull her to him, but she blushed and shook her head.

“This is what you get when you marry me,” she said quietly. “This is who I am.” She slipped her bra straps down her shoulders; Inuyasha whined at the sight of her shoulders, now bare and gleaming. “Do you still accept me, Inuyasha?” She was suddenly hesitant. What if he didn’t like what he saw? What if he decided he wasn’t all in with her anymore? What if…

“Who you are, Kagome,” Inuyasha replied in a husky voice not quite his own, “who you are is so fucking perfect I almost can’t take it.” He held out his hands; Kagome stepped into them, and he circled her waist with his fingers and drew her forward, his claws prickling against her body. Inuyasha trailed his claws lightly up her skin, then ran the pads of his fingers along her bra, tracing the fabric around to the back. He felt the hooks; he knew they were what was locking her clothing in place, but he wasn’t sure how to get it off. He growled. He wanted to see _all_ of her, _now_.

“Here,” Kagome giggled, “let me.” And she reached around to her back and unhooked her bra, drawing it forward over her arms. One tug, two slips, and Kagome was topless in front of him, not for the first time, but for the first time as Inuyasha’s wife. And she was so fucking beautiful he thought he might have died and she was what was waiting for him on the other side of the river.

“Ka—Kagome,” he breathed. 

“It’s okay,” she said, blushing. “Do...do you want to touch me?”

“ _Fuck,_ ” he swore, “you know I fucking want to.”

“Then do it,” she challenged him. “Touch me. Touch your wife.”

Commissioned Artwork by [mamabearcat](https://mamabearcatfanart.tumblr.com/)

Inuyasha growled, and kissed her, and placed his hands tenderly on her breasts, his palms brushing up against her nipples, and both of them moaning slightly at the contact. Inuyasha massaged her breasts softly, and deepened the kiss; Kagome eagerly opened her mouth and invited him back in, quiet sighs of pleasure washing over her as Inuyasha began to explore her body. 

And she was divine; her breasts were soft, the skin yielding and pliable. Inuyasha caressed her, then ran his thumbs over her nipples; when she moaned into his mouth, he realized this was something that she liked, and he continued to toy with them softly, tweaking and twisting and pulling, see what she liked and what made her scent spike like mad. He found that when he tweaked them, and gave them a little pinch, she shoved her tongue more deeply into his mouth and nearly down his throat; the action made him rock-hard and want to take her immediately. 

Kagome, meanwhile, felt like she wasn’t touching enough of him. His hands were all over her breasts, fondling them, pinching them, making her keen and quake and feel a coiling of tension in the heat between her thighs. She tucked her hands into the waistband of his hakama, and realized with a start that he was much more dressed than she was.

Well. That...wasn’t fair.

She needed to fix that. _Immediately_.

Inuyasha was only barely aware of the small hands fumbling with the knot on his hakama, pulling at it, trying to get it loose. He...he wanted to be naked with her. He did. He wanted to help her out….he did.

But her _breasts_ were so fucking glorious. How could he take his hands away from them, even for a second? 

Inuyasha growled against Kagome’s lips. _Fuck it all_ , he thought, and pried his hands away from her perfect, round, supple breasts, and shoved her hands aside to fumble with the ties on his hakama. A few tugs, a claw worked in between the knots, and he was free. Kagome’s small cry of eagerness made him chuckle, and he returned his hands to her soft pillows as he felt her yank, and tug, and pull the hakama down. He shook his hips a little, and his hakama shimmied down the lengths of his legs. Inuyasha kicked them away. Now, she was only in those tiny, tasty panties, and he was in his fundoshi, and holy gods, was it incredible to be this close to her, this naked with her. Kagome’s skin was soft all over—not just her breasts—and his hands couldn’t help caressing her shoulders, her arms, her biceps, down her arms, over her stomach, down to her clothed ass. She moaned softly as he squeezed those twin globes of perfection, and ground her hips into his. 

It was almost like instinct, the way they were acknowledging each other. Inuyasha had never been this intimate with... _anyone_...before, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how her body seemed to respond so eagerly to every place that he touched. It made him feel confident, like he could do this—like he _could_ please her.

And her scent was growing more and more overpowering; the ginger overtook the vanilla and citrus, and it was making him crazy with lust for her. He felt her ass again, sweet and soft underneath her panties, and he knew: he had to feel her skin there. He had to feel _all_ of her, and he had to do this immediately.

Inuyasha hooked his thumbs in her panties, and with a yank, slid them down her body. He dropped and followed after them; his nose and his fangs dragging along her breasts, her belly, her hips, settling right at the apex of her thighs, where her scent was the strongest, the most cloying. Kagome lifted her legs so she could step out of her panties, and she stood before him, fully nude, fully loving, fully open.

Inuyasha turned his golden eyes up to his wife; she looked down at him, her chocolate eyes shining with love, and she threaded her hands into his hair, behind his ears. She nodded slightly, and offered him a slight smile. Then, he closed his eyes, as she gently brought his face forward into the heat of her sex.

He paused there for a moment, enjoying the feel of the soft hair there, her smell intoxicating and deep. He took a deep breath, and inhaled all of her, then pressed his face forward, into the spot where her scent was the strongest. He nosed her there delicately, and felt Kagome shiver violently above him. He stopped, and looked up at her again.

“I’m—I’m okay, Inuyasha,” she said breathily. “Just...just don’t stop, please.”

Inuyasha grinned, and decided that if he had permission, he was gonna explore her there as much as she would let him. She smelled so fucking good...he had to wonder: how did she taste down there, as well?

Slowly, hesitantly, Inuyasha flicked his tongue between the soft folds of her sex. He felt her dampness; she tasted a little like sugar, and something else...sweet, but heady, like too much sake. And, also like too much sake, he couldn’t help but want more.

Inuyasha began to lap at her, diving his tongue into her, running it over the soft skin of her precious lips. He found her opening, which quivered when he probed it with his tongue; when he thrust his tongue inside her, she groaned his name loudly and nearly bent double over him. 

Well. She seemed to like that, too. Were there other things she liked?

Inuyasha slowly, reluctantly, withdrew his tongue. He could stay inside her the whole of the evening, just like that, but he was also desperate to explore her more—to find out what else she liked. He dragged his tongue up, between those soft, furry lips, and he found a tiny bud that made her go absolutely insane when he massaged it with his tongue.

“ _Inuyasha_ ,” she moaned, and she clenched her thighs together.

 _Well_ , he thought. _This would never do_.

Inuyasha took one hand off her hips, and used his fingers to open her up. Gently, he guided one finger inside her opening, and growled against that bundle of nerves when he felt her insides tense up. 

“Are—are you okay, ‘Gome?” he asked, looking up at her.

“I’m—I’m _fine_ ,” came the curt reply. “Just...don’t stop. _Please_.”

The plaintiveness of her tone—the _plea_ for him to continue, to keep making her feel good—was all he needed to keep going. He pressed his face back between her thighs, and this time, he knew what to do. He dragged his tongue over that rapidly swelling bud, and when he applied the flat of his tongue against it, she cried out his name and twisted her hips into his face. He growled, and added a second finger inside her, all the while still working her over with his tongue.

The experience of feeling Kagome like this—soft, wanton, pleading, pulsing—was almost too much for Inuyasha, and he had to adjust himself to accommodate his already-hard cock that was straining against his fundoshi. Why the _fuck_ hadn’t he thought to take it off?

Because Kagome was all that mattered. It was Kagome’s pleasure that mattered; it was Kagome’s well-being that mattered; it was showing Kagome that he loved her, that he would do _anything_ for her, that she was first and foremost in his life. Now, and always.

And she was here, she was real, her body was alive and hot and greedy for his touch. And he was all too happy to give those things to her. Those three years without her had nearly killed him; even if he hadn’t really been ill, his heart had been sick and nearly dead. Kagome had brought it back to life—had brought _him_ back to life. And he wanted to worship her, love her, cherish her.

Now. And forever.

Kagome felt Inuyasha’s fingers scissoring gently inside her, and her knees buckled underneath her. The feel of his fingers, his tongue, his other hand holding her firmly by the hips, was almost too much for her to take. Her muscles were tensing, from the walls that Inuyasha was massaging, outward, through the rest of her groin, her belly, then down her legs and out her arms. Her entire body shook; the energy radiating off her was erratic and pulsing, but she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t—she _wouldn’t—_ let go.

Inuyasha sensed her trepidation. “It’s okay, ‘Gome,” he said gently, looking up at her. “You can let yourself go. I’ll catch you, koishii. I will _always_ catch you.” And he pressed his face back between her legs, fit his mouth over that tiny nub, and sucked, hard, while he drove his fingers as deeply into her as he could.

And Kagome screamed, and babbled his name, and slumped forward over his shoulder and did let herself fully go. Inuyasha felt her juices flowing out over his fingers, and he swapped out his fingers for his tongue, gently lapping up all that she released. Her sweetness nearly made him lose _himself_ inside his fundoshi, and it was all he could do to hold on so that he could take her properly.

Which would happen. Very, very soon.

Gently, Inuyasha lifted Kagome into his arms; she curled up around him and buried her face in his neck, kissing and sucking at the skin there. When she bit down, it made Inuyasha nearly drop her, but he held on and allowed her to have her moment, relishing the feel of her blunt teeth against him as she nipped and worried the skin. Slowly he got to his knees, and laid her on the futon he had set up so carefully. When he pulled away and stood before her, Kagome looked at him, questioningly, her eyes still slightly unfocused from her orgasm, her body still twitching with the aftereffects.

Inuyasha couldn’t help it; he couldn’t help but chuckle at her blissed-out expression and her shaking body. “See something you like, wife?” he asked her.

Kagome groaned. “Why aren’t you here with me, Inuyasha?” she demanded. “ _I need you_.”

Inuyasha held out his hand and stuck out one finger. “Nah-ah-ah,” he said teasingly. “I want _you_ to see _all_ of _me_.” And he unwrapped his fundoshi, carefully unwinding the fabric and letting out a hiss when his cock was finally able to spring free. He heard Kagome gasp, and scented a crazy spike in her arousal.

Oh, yes. She liked what she saw.

Inuyasha dropped to his knees; Kagome raised herself up on one elbow to look him over appreciatively. She let out a breath. She’d seen Inuyasha naked before—that day he and Souta took a bath and he’d barged into her room—and maybe a few other times, too!—but this was the first time that he purposefully undressed before her, and holy gods in all the heavens, he was _glorious_. She wasn’t sure about size, maybe? But he seemed _big_ , and _thick_ , and she couldn’t help herself…

Kagome reached out, and wrapped her hands around his cock; it was hard, yes, but the skin was soft, and a darker golden than skin on... _other parts of his body_...and when she gripped him, she felt him pulse in response, and it made her giggle a little, setting her at ease.

“He’s happy to see me,” she said, now running her fingers along the shaft. 

The sound that escaped Inuyasha’s throat was not quite human, and he gripped his hands tightly, driving his claws into the skin, to avoid losing his shit completely.

 _You have to make it a little longer_ , he told himself. _Just a little longer_.

Kagome, meanwhile, was greatly enjoying her exploration of Inuyasha’s cock. She had tugged him towards her gently, and her hands were now exploring the base, cupping his sac and massaging the soft, silver hair. He felt so soft, and divine, and she had to know...what would he feel like, inside her? What would he taste like?

She leaned over and licked the tip of his cock.

“Awww, _fuck_ , Kagome,” he groaned, clutching his claws into his palms even more roughly, “holy _fuck_ , what are you doing to me?”

Kagome giggled. “Does that feel good, Inuyasha?” she asked coquettishly. Her orgasm had emboldened her, and now, she wanted to know all about his body, just like he was learning all about her. She pressed her tongue along the shaft, and dragged it from tip to base. She was surprised at how soft he felt, even under her tongue, and how she now wanted to take all of him into her mouth and make him feel as good as he’d made her feel.

Inuyasha grunted when her tongue made contact with his cock. It was too much. _She_ was too much. It was all going to be over before it even started, and he needed...he needed her to know…

“Not now, ‘Gome,” he said, pushing her back onto the futon and hovering over her. “Next time, you get to do whatever the _fuck_ you want to me. But I swear, if you touch me one more time, I’m gonna unload, and I’d much rather do that inside of you than on you.”

Kagome turned bright red, but her face held a slight smirk. “O—okay, anata,” she said, and opened her legs so she could hook him with her ankles and draw her in. “Then let’s make sure you come inside of me.”

Inuyasha let out a whoosh of air that he didn’t know he was holding, and instantly, he was kissing her, pouring all of his love for her into the way that his lips pressed against hers. Because _fuck_ , he did love her, and he wanted more than anything to make love to her, over and over, until she believed it.

Kagome used her thighs to draw him nearer to her. When the tip of his cock rested against her entrance, she looked up at him expectantly. “It might hurt a little, Inuyasha,” she warned him, “for me, not for you. Just go slow, and if I ask you to stop, please stop. Okay?”

Inuyasha’s senses instantly went on high alert. He hadn’t been expecting this to...hurt Kagome? But she said it would be all right, so...he didn’t know what to think?

A kiss on the tip of his nose brought him back to reality. Kagome was looking up at him, her brown eyes deep and dark with love and lust. “Really,” she said, “trust me. It will be fine, and I will be fine. It just may hurt a little, and you may smell blood. It’s okay...it just means that I still have what’s called my hymen.”

Inuyasha frowned, but again she kissed him, and he instantly relaxed. “Okay, ‘Gome,” he said softly. “If you’re ready—”

“—And I am,” she assured him.

“Then I’m ready too,” he said. With one movement, he entered her swiftly. He felt a thin membrane burst when he pushed inside; Kagome’s shaky breath out, plus the scent of blood, told him that this was the “hymen” thing she had spoken of, and that this “hymen” thing had indeed broken. Kagome tried not to tense up as Inuyasha pressed into her; he was so big, or she was so tight or so nervous, that it was hard for him to go in deep, and he also needed her to breathe out, or _something_ , because _fuck,_ she had to relax.

“Kagome,” he whispered. “I need you to breathe. I need you to relax so we can do this.”

Kagome let out a shaky breath, and he instantly felt her walls lessen their pressure on him. He found that he could move a bit now, too. Kagome wrapped her legs around him; he felt the pressure continuing to weaken, and Kagome rolled her hips against his, as if trying out some movement. 

And, _oh_ , how fucking good did that feel?

Again, seemingly on instinct, Inuyasha’s body began to move against Kagome’s. His hips shook slightly from nervousness, but he still managed to rock into her, bringing his hips back, up, and back down and in, his cock diving into her at an angle that made her whimper and made him curse under his breath. Her arms circled his neck, and she drew him in close so she could kiss him, over and over, every time he thrust into her.

“ _Inu—ya—sha_ ,” she chanted, and the syllables of his name dropped off her lips, a magical spell meant just for them, a dream world being woven as Inuyasha’s hair fell around them, protecting them from the world. 

She felt good—so fucking good—now that they had a solid rhythm and pace going. Every time he drove into her, Inuyasha felt her walls clench his cock, already starting to milk him, already making him feel as though he wasn’t going to last much longer. 

Then…

“Inuyasha?” came Kagome’s voice. Quiet, and a little hesitant.

Inuyasha stopped mid-thrust. “What is it, koishii?” he asked tenderly.

“Can you...can we…” her voice was even quieter.

“Can we try something a little different?”

What? What?

“What...what do you want to try, ‘Gome?” he asked.

Kagome sat up a little and pushed him off her. He sat back on his haunches, his cock twitching, and watched with interest as his wife sat up more, flipped herself over, and raised her ass to him. She offered him a wiggle and peeked out at him from over her shoulder.

“I believe this is more what you had in mind?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.

 _Oh, FUCK_.

Inuyasha’s instincts immediately roared to life; he grabbed her by her hips as he immediately buried himself to the hilt inside her. Kagome cried out at the sudden shift in angle, and she ground her hips back against him. Her enthusiasm only egged Inuyasha on, and he held her hips more tightly, his body acting almost on its own, driven by something deeper and more primal than Inuyasha himself even knew existed. She felt hot, and slick, and his cock was sliding in and out of her much easier now than it had in the beginning. She had been stretched, and he loved the way she was holding him now, only slight quivers, as her body took him in and held him briefly before letting him slide back out.

Kagome buried her face into the futon and moaned, loudly. He was hitting something deep inside her, where she was struggling to hold onto her sanity. She realized that she was swearing, and babbling, and calling out his name, over and over. Her toes clutched at his calves, looking for something to hold onto, her toes slipping over the soft silver hair on his legs. “ _More_ ,” she moaned, “ _please, Inuyasha_. More.”

Inuyasha roared and held her hips more tightly. He felt his claws digging deeply into her side, but he couldn’t let go—he _needed_ to make sure she was secure and solid in place. Her entire body was quaking, keening, seeking release. Her whole body was tight; she needed Inuyasha to not stop; she needed him to…

“Keep going,” she cried, the feel of his claws in her side encouraging her even more. “Inuyasha, _please_. Keep going. Let yourself go for me, like I did for you.”

Inuyasha growled and thrust into her one, two, three, four times, and her whole body froze up, then let loose with a howl. She collapsed onto the futon, laying prone as he drove into her one last time and he found the release that he too had been seeking. He laid down on top of her, letting his cock twitch inside her as he continued to release jet after jet of cum. 

At last, Kagome sighed wearily and Inuyasha rolled off her, pulling her against him, and quietly thrilled that she immediately molded herself to his form. She threw her right arm and leg over his chest and thighs and held him close; he reached across his torso and rested his arm atop hers.

As they lay there together, lost in the glow of sex, Inuyasha’s fingers stroking her tenderly, he felt something slick and wet on her hip. He sucked in a breath; he knew exactly what it was. 

Blood.

_Kagome’s blood._

Inuyasha let out a snarl and pushed Kagome over, Kagome protesting feebly. He held her right hip and examined it closely; he then stopped, and dropped his head onto her ass, shaking quietly.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome asked softly.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he swore quietly, “ _FUCK_.” He looked up at her; tears shone in his golden eyes. “I’m so fucking sorry, Kagome. So, so fucking sorry.”

“What...what’s the matter?” she asked, terror leaping into her throat.

He rolled her over gently and pointed to her hip; his finger was trembling as the pad of his finger lightly pressed against her skin. Kagome hissed softly and raised her head. She gasped. 

On the front of her hip, right above her bones, were three deep claw marks. They were bleeding; Inuyasha lifted her hip and pressed his lips to her wound, his tears dripping off his nose and mixing with her blood. 

“Oh, gods, wife,” he said, “I’m so sorry.”

“Inuyasha,” said Kagome.

“No,” he said, “Look what I did to you.”

“No, Inuyasha,” she tried again.

“Kagome, don’t you get it?” He was getting angry. Why was she not fucking listening to him? _Look what he had done to her_.

“Inuyasha.” Her voice was quiet, and calm, and grabbed his attention immediately. His ears swiveled in her direction first; his eyes followed, tears still slipping down his cheeks. 

Kagome could see his face, shining with pain. She knew: he’d hurt her, and the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her.

But the truth was, he _hadn’t_ hurt her; not really. Claw marks would heal, but Inuyasha’s heart would not.

His face was still pressed to her hip; Kagome reached out tentatively and stroked his ears. “I’m okay,” she whispered, so softly only he could hear it. “You didn’t hurt me...not really, anyway, and not in a way that makes me mad.” She paused, and laughed quietly. “And _gods_ , Inuyasha, I _asked for this_. I asked you to keep going; I asked you to let yourself go. Because I _like_ when you are fully you; youkai, human, hanyou. Whatever. I love you as you are. I want you to touch me, _as you are_. 

“These are your instincts, Inuyasha; this is who you are. And I would _never_ ask you to be someone that you’re not. I would never ask you to tone yourself down, or be careful with your claws. Because they can’t hurt me. _You_ can’t hurt me. Not anymore. Not now. We’re married. You’re stuck with me, now and forever.” She sighed and gave his ears a little tweak. “Can you forgive yourself, please, my husband? Because to me, there is nothing that you need to be forgiven for.”

Inuyasha raised his eyes to look at his wife. She was laying on the futon, on her side, her deep brown eyes watching him intently.

How would he respond?

What would he say?

He knew that she wasn’t going anywhere—not after what they had just done. But he _was_ worried that she wouldn’t want to do it again. Because, _fuck._ He really did.

“It’s—you’re—it’s gonna leave a scar,” he said lamely.

Kagome giggled, and the sound of her laugh sent shockwaves of warmth through his body. She reached over and cupped his face in her hands, then drew him up and over her for a deep, loving kiss.

“I guess, then, that I will have a permanent marker of the night that we married and made love for the first time after all, won’t I?” she asked him, the firelight dancing in her chocolate eyes.

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief and crushed her to him. She was there, she was all right, she was _joking_ about the situation. 

She would be all right.

And so would he, eventually. Because after all, Kagome was right….

She now had a constant reminder of their wedding tattooed on her body.

And he was….kind of okay, with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha and Kagome are officially married--yay! What adventures will come their way next? Find out at the next update--we'll be taking a break, but will be back on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Thanks again everyone, and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Scar 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha takes Kagome on an exorcism.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to Chapter 4 of Eight Scars--the [nartista](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/nartista-digital) party continues! In this chapter, Inuyasha takes Kagome on an exorcism, and it goes about as well as you'd expect.
> 
> This chapter features simply beautiful commissioned artwork from [clementinesgulag](https://clementinesgulag.tumblr.com/)! Please enjoy!

“Oi, Kagome!”

Inuyasha’s shout reached Kagome from all the way across the clearing, to where she was working in the tiny garden she had planted not long after she and Inuyasha were married. It was small, yes, and nothing was growing yet, but Kagome tended it every day, carefully watering it and pulling out the weeds to make sure they didn’t overtake any seedlings. She looked up when she saw her husband striding across the clearing toward her. She pushed herself to standing and waved him over; he saw her in the garden and anxiously bounded over to her.

“Hi,” she said, accepting a kiss on the cheek, “what are you up to today?”

“You wanna go with me on an exorcism?” he asked her.

“Me?” Kagome said. “With you? What about Miroku?”

“Keh,” Inuyasha commented. “The girls are sick, and he’s gotta stay home and help Sango. But this can’t wait; the headman of a village to the west came to see us specifically.”

“What’s going on?” asked Kagome, brushing off her hakama.

“A nomorimushi has gone ballistic and is terrorizing a small village at the base of the mountains to the west of here,” Inuyasha told her.

“Aren’t they usually peaceful if they are properly appeased?” Kagome asked him, frowning.

“They are,” Inuyasha replied, “but something seems to be really fucking wrong. It’s been picking travelers off as they journey on the road to the village. The villagers are afraid to leave; the headman took a back way to get here to see us.”

“Where is he now?” Kagome asked. “Is he at Kaede-obaa-chan’s or at the headman’s hut?”

“He’s already gone,” Inuyasha said shortly. “He didn’t want to stay away for too long. Can’t say I blame him.” He took Kagome’s hand. “Come on,” he added. “Let’s get your things together. We have to try and exorcise the demon, not kill it. Because the headman said that the youkai is generally docile, so long as they offer it sacrifices—non-human, wife, non-human!” he exclaimed when he saw Kagome’s face turn a nasty shade of green.

“But still,” Kagome said, “maybe it’s not such a bad idea to get rid of it?”

“That’s a hard no, woman,” Inuyasha replied. “It’s considered really bad luck to kill a nomorimushi. And it generally keeps the road in and out of the village safe. Something has gotten into it, the headman thinks, and if we can exorcise it, I can take out the possessing youkai.”

“All right,” Kagome said, “let me get my bow and quiver and a few other things.”

“Be quick about it, then,” he retorted, and smacked her ass playfully as she moved.

“Inuyasha!” she admonished him; he flashed her a fanged grin, and she blushed. But she did run to their hut a little more quickly.

Inuyasha watched her go, frowning. Fuck, he really didn’t want her to come along with him on this trip. He would much rather have left her home, but he needed a spiritualist to help him with this one. And since Miroku was out, Kagome was in.

Since they’d been married, Inuyasha had been increasingly hesitant to take her along on exorcisms. He had...he had a fear in his heart that something would happen to her, and that he wouldn’t be able to properly protect or save her. And he knew this was silly; she had taken care of herself plenty of times when they were searching for, and later fighting, Naraku, and she had even proven herself a few times in battle since she’d been back, but he’d been terrified of bringing her along on an exorcism since they’d gotten married. It was like...it was like his youkai instincts were on high alert, all the time, and if she was so much as within a league of danger, he thought he might lose his fucking mind.

“I’m ready!” she called. _Fuck_. She was already set to go. He watched her returning from the hut; she was carrying her bow and her quiver, and she had a wide smile on her face. Inuyasha knew: she was fucking happy that he’d asked her to go, even though he wanted the complete and exact opposite.

“I brought some sutras, too,” she said, smiling. “Miroku-sama and Kaede-obaa-chan have been helping me. I think they should work pretty well?”

“Whatever.” He was getting impatient. “Hop on.” He turned, and Kagome jumped on his back. Inuyasha’s breath hitched as he felt her thighs squeeze his torso. He massaged her legs affectionately.

“Hold on,” he said, “we’re going.” And he took off through the forest, Kagome clinging to his back.

The entire way to the village, Inuyasha felt a growing wave of nausea rising in his stomach. He didn’t want to let Kagome fight; he wanted to keep her back and safe. But he knew: he couldn’t exorcise a youkai; he needed Kagome to do that. And even if she wasn’t perfect at it, he at least needed her to get the possessing youkai out, so he could finish it off.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome said quietly. He immediately slowed down. “There’s a youkai up ahead. A big one. The youki it’s giving off...it’s…”

“...Super fucking angry,” Inuyasha finished for her. “Yeah.”

“Let’s stop and walk,” Kagome said in a hushed tone. Inuyasha immediately halted his run; Kagome hopped down from his back, and together they started to approach the village quietly.

Kagome looked around carefully, her entire body on alert. She could feel the youki of the nomorimushi close by, but she was also feeling the youki of another being, almost hidden underneath the nomorimushi.

Inuyasha came to a sudden halt, snagged Kagome around the waist, and leapt into the trees. “No, hush,” he said when he saw she was about to protest. “Look.”

Kagome followed his finger, and she saw it: the nomorimushi.

It was massive—over two meters tall, Kagome reasoned—with a long, recoiling tail, and six sets of hands and feet. Its face was that of a snake, and it lumbered down the path, apparently sniffing out potential prey.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome barely breathed.

Inuyasha nodded. “That’s a big fucker,” he whispered. “Think you can exorcise it so whatever’s doing the possessing will come out?”

Kagome nodded, her face set with resolve. “Sure.” She had no idea whether or not she actually could, but she thought she could at least give it a try.

“How do you think we should—oh, fuck, Kagome, _wait_!” Inuyasha watched as Kagome stepped out from the bushes, grabbing an arrow from her quiver. She raised her bow and nocked the arrow.

“Hey, youkai!” she snapped. The nomorimushi turned to face her, and Kagome cringed. She had seen scary, malevolent youkai before, but this one? Maybe it was because he was a snake, but he was _terrifying_ : his eyes gleamed red, his fangs dripped venom, and the claws on his fingers and toes were sharp and glistening in the sunlight.

And it also had a...

“Kagome!” Inuyasha shouted, and he leapt over the bushes to get to her.

“Inuyasha!” she shrieked. “No!”

But it was too late; the nomorimushi had already sent its tail spinning towards him, and Kagome threw down her bow and arrow and dove between Inuyasha and the nomorimushi. Its tail wound around her ankle, and she screamed in pain. Inuyasha watched, trying desperately to figure out how to free her without killing the nomorimushi, when he saw her fumbling around inside her kosode.

“Get—get ready,” she panted, her face twisted in agony. The nomorimushi dragged her towards it; Kagome continued to root around in her clothing for something.

“A miko lunch was not what I anticipated today,” the nomorimushi hissed, “but it’s a welcome treat. And the hanyou will be a delightful dessert.”

Inuyasha roared and aimed his Tetsusaiga at the snake. He was gonna take this fucker out, bad luck or not.

But Kagome had other plans. “I’m not going to be _anyone’s_ lunch today, you asshole,” she shot back through gritted teeth, and whipped three sutras out of her kosode. “Evil spirit, be gone! Inuyasha, be ready!”

“Ready!” he shouted, partially in disbelief, as Kagome hurled the sutras at the nomorimushi. One hit him in the face; one in the chest; and one in the tail, which immediately unwrapped from Kagome’s leg, leaving her gasping and clutching at her ankle.

“Don’t come near me!” she ordered him when he tried to drop the Tetsusaiga and run to her side. “You have to take out the youkai!”

“Right!” Inuyasha turned back to the nomorimushi, and watched as the sutras shot out electrical currents, holding the nomorimushi completely tense and quaking from the shock. It screamed; it tried to resist; but Kagome’s sutras were strong and held it steady. Inuyasha watched as the nomorimushi finally collapsed to the ground, and a tiny youkai resembling a tree branch broke free from the nomorimushi’s eye.

“Fuck!” Inuyasha cursed. He knew exactly what that was: a Hitoukon. A tiny youkai, but one that fed off human blood, and often possessed other youkai to get what it needed. A nomorimushi who guarded a mountain path was a perfect victim for its parasitic needs.

“Go...go after it, Inuyasha,” Kagome gasped, still holding her ankle and grimacing with pain.

Inuyasha wanted to stay by Kagome’s side—fuck, he really did!—but he couldn’t help her. He had to go after the Hitoukon; he had to stop it before it possessed someone else.

“Now, Inuyasha!” called Kagome hoarsely, and with one last look at his wife, he took off after the Hitoukon. Kagome cried quietly, trying not to let Inuyasha hear, although she knew that he would; he always knew what she was thinking, and what she was feeling.

Inuyasha tried to keep the scent of Kagome’s tears out of his mind. It was filling his nose, his mind, his soul. He pushed it aside and tried his damnedest to stay focused on the mission. Get the Hitoukon; kill it; get back to the nomorimushi and to Kagome.

The Hitoukon was fast; it soared on the wind, lighter than a leaf. _Focus on the Hitoukon; focus on the Hitoukon_ , he chanted to himself. But it was fucking hard; the further he ran from Kagome, the more his instincts were screaming at him to get back to his wife. “Ah, _fuck_ ,” he shouted, and hurled himself forward. He sheathed the Tetsusaiga and flashed his claws. “Sankon Tessou!” he bellowed, and he sliced through the air. The Hitoukon dodged his first swipe, but Inuyasha launched his other hand forward and with another roar, he carved up the Hitoukon neatly; it fell to the earth with a clatter and the pieces shattered. Inuyasha dropped to the earth and stood over the Hitoukon, scowling.

“Such a little fucker causing such a big fucking problem,” he sighed, then picked up the pieces. He was gonna have Kagome purify the remains out of existence; he couldn’t use the Tetsusaiga on it, and he wanted this fucker dead.

Inuyasha came over the slight incline of the path; he gripped the remains of the Hitoukon tightly and rushed to his wife’s side. Kagome’s skin was pale, and tinged with green; it was pretty clear she had been poisoned by the nomorimushi. Inuyasha growled, and lifted her into his arms; he wanted to tear the nomorimushi, limb from limb. It was only the knowledge that it had been possessed that kept him from obliterating half the countryside.

“Inuyasha.” Her voice was quiet, and weak.

“Kagome?” She blinked her eyes open; they were dazed and slightly unfocused. He crushed her to him. _Fuck_. He shouldn’t have left her alone.

[ ](https://clementinesgulag.tumblr.com/post/638209206628007936/the-birthday-celebrations-for-our-fandoms)

Commissioned Artwork by [clementinesgulag](https://clementinesgulag.tumblr.com/%22)

* * *

“Did you get it?” she asked. “Do you have the remains?”

“I do,” he told her. “You did great, koishii.” He held out the pieces of the Hitoukon to her.

Kagome sighed, and closed her eyes again. “ _We_ did great, Inuyasha,” she said softly. She covered Inuyasha’s hand that held the Hitoukon with her own; there was a slight glow, and Inuyasha felt a warm prickling of his skin. When she removed her hand, the Hitoukon was dust and drifted away gently on the wind; Inuyasha’s hand was slightly red with a burn, but in comparison to Kagome’s leg, it was nothing.

“How is the nomorimushi?” she breathed.

Inuyasha turned to look at the snake youkai. It was still passed out cold, and Inuyasha let out a little scoff. “Fine,” he said. “It’s knocked out, but I suspect it’ll be okay.”

“We—we need to get it some help,” she gasped. “Can you take me over to it?”

Inuyasha held her more tightly than before. “Not a chance in all the hells,” he grunted. “I’m taking you back to Kaede immediately.”

“It needs my help.” She was swooning in his arms.

“We’ll stop at the village and let their healers know; it’s their guardian, and they can take care of it.” There was no way in any or all of the _hells_ that he was gonna let her do anything else. He eyed her carefully; Kagome was growing paler, and her skin now had a slight sheen of sweat. He grunted. She needed to get back to Kaede, and fast.

* * *

As soon as they returned to their village, Inuyasha made straight for Kaede’s hut. The elderly woman was shocked to see Kagome’s state, and she and Rin quickly set about making a paste to heal Kagome’s skin and draw out the poison, as well as a tea to help her sleep so she could heal.

“What happened today, Inuyasha?” Kaede asked him.

“It was a Hitoukon,” he said shortly. “It possessed a nomorimushi, and we had to get the Hitoukon exorcised before we could do anything about it. Kagome was...well, _Kagome_ ,” he scoffed. “She jumped in front of the fucker and took the blow. Then she threw some sutras at it and was able to force out the Hitoukon; I tracked it down and took it out, and she purified it.” He looked down at his wife tenderly, who was still breathing shallowly; there was no scent of death around her, though, and Inuyasha could allow himself to relax.

“She was busy today then,” Kaede commented. “As soon as Rin is back, I will finish making this poultice and we’ll get to healing her. Why don’t you sit with your wife and keep her company?” Kaede allowed her eyes to sparkle at the hanyou, who let out a “Keh!” but obeyed Kaede’s orders.

Inuyasha sank on the futon beside his wife. She leaned into him; he circled his arms about her and breathed in her sweet scent. “Kagome?” he said softly, hesitantly.

She opened her eyes. “Inuyasha,” she said with a tiny smile. “I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry about me. Kaede and Rin will have me fixed up in no time.”

“Why did you do it, Kagome?” he burst out. “Why did you do what you did? You threw yourself right into danger!” He wanted to tear down the walls of the hut in his frustration, but instead he just buried his face in his hair and allowed her scent to surround him, to comfort him.

“My leg will heal,” she said simply, “but losing you would have been a wound I was not prepared to deal with.”

They looked down at her ankle; the skin was red, and swollen, and tinged with pus. Inuyasha shivered at the sight of her beautiful, perfect body marred in such a way. “Koishii,” he said sadly, “this is gonna leave quite the scar.”

Kagome laughed quietly, then turned her head upwards so she could lightly press her lips to his. Inuyasha accepted the kiss eagerly, welcoming the pressure of her body against his own. When she broke the kiss, he whined a little; she giggled and snuggled closer into his side.

“You know, Inuyasha,” she said after a moment, “this scar? It’s for the day when you finally shut up and let me protect you.”


	5. Scar 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha takes Kagome to see Jinenji, who is concerned about Kagome's injury. Inuyasha feels remorse; Kagome wonders if she can truly fit into the Feudal Era.
> 
> Featuring commissioned artwork by [dis-gruntled-beast](https://dis-gruntled-beast.tumblr.com/)!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the anime and/or manga.
> 
> Hello everyone! The [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/) birthday train rolls on! I am so happy to bring you Chapter 5 of Eight Scars. In this chapter, Kagome's injury hasn't yet healed, so Inuyasha takes her to see Jinenji, who has some advice for Inuyasha. Meanwhile, Kagome considers her ability to make it in the Feudal Era.
> 
> This chapter features some gorgeous commissioned artwork from [dis-gruntled-beast](https://dis-gruntled-beast.tumblr.com/)!

It had been a week since Inuyasha and Kagome fought the nomorimushi; the headman of that village had come to see the hanyou and the miko, and lavished them with gifts and with gratitude. He was understandably disturbed to see Kagome’s ankle, but Kagome simply smiled, and thanked him for the gifts, and assured him that she would be fine.

But Inuyasha knew: she wasn’t fucking fine. She _wasn’t_ fucking fine.

She could barely walk on the ankle; every time she put weight on it, she winced. Inuyasha and Kaede spoke in hushed tones about Kagome’s injury; she needed something a little stronger to help heal the skin more quickly. Although her countenance remained positive, her body was not yet able to keep up with what her mind thought she could do. More than once she had insisted she was fine to train; more than once Inuyasha had returned from a patrol, or a youkai exorcism, to find Kagome resting, gasping for air, her ankle rewrapped and the wound reopening. 

Finally, Kaede recommended that Inuyasha take Kagome to see Jinenji; she didn’t have the herbs that could heal Kagome’s wounds adequately, and she suggested that perhaps Jinenji could. Inuyasha immediately agreed; he was at the point where he would do anything to help Kagome feel better, and a visit to Jinenji would heal her: body, mind, and soul. Kagome and the hanyou had a close friendship, one that Inuyasha was anxious to continue to cultivate, on both Kagome _and_ Jinenji’s behalf. They both needed people other than their small circle to connect to, so that they felt like they belonged, and Inuyasha was only too happy to do what he could to help.

To get to Jinenji, Inuyasha carried Kagome bridal-style, much to her chagrin and despite her protests. Her ankle hurt too much to hold onto him if she rode on his back; carrying her in this way meant that he didn’t have his hands free, but it also meant that she wasn’t going to be further hurt, which was a chance he was willing to take; he would deal with the danger if and when it came. 

Luckily, it was a warm, sunny day, and Kagome admired the countryside as they raced along to the small farm Jinenji oversaw with his mother. Despite the pain in her ankle, Kagome couldn’t help but be excited to see her friend again. It had been several weeks since she had last seen Jinenji, and she still had so much to learn from him.

By the time the farm came into view, Kagome’s ankle was throbbing and she was dozing against Inuyasha’s shoulder. Inuyasha came to a stop, and Kagome opened her eyes sleepily. She looked around her, and saw a large figure coming towards them through her bleary eyes.

“Inuyasha!” said the Jinenji, “and Kagome. What brings you here?” His large blue eyes took in Kagome’s form; they narrowed when they saw her ankle. “What happened to her?”

“Nomorimushi attack,” Inuyasha said simply, trying to hide the anger in his voice at his own inability to protect his wife. “The tail got her.”

Jinenji approached them slowly, his large shadow towering over them both. He got to his knees gently and held Kagome’s ankle in his gentle hands, frowning when she winced.

“Poison?” Jinenji asked. Inuyasha nodded. Jinenji sighed, and rose. “I can make a poultice for this,” he said, “but it will take some time to prepare. Can you stay?”

“We can, Jinenji,” said Kagome, “provided that you put me to work in your garden.”

“Not a fucking chance in all the hells,” Inuyasha snapped. “You’re not doing shit until your ankle is better. Haven’t you learned anything?”

“I will be _fine_ if I’m sitting,” Kagome shot right back. “And you and Jinenji will be there to take care of me.”

“Is this Kagome and Inuyasha?” Jinenji’s mother came out of the house, wiping her hands on her kimono. The elderly woman smiled in a gruff but friendly manner. She took one look at Kagome’s ankle and shot a harsh glare at Inuyasha. “What did you do to your wife, hanyou?”

Inuyasha growled, but Kagome placed a hand on his cheek, and he instantly calmed down. “It’s not his fault, obaa-san. We had to exorcise a nomorimushi; it was possessed by a Hitoukon. When it went after Inuyasha, I jumped in front of him, and it got my ankle. But I exorcised it!” She smiled excitedly, then winced again when she wiggled her ankle by accident.

“Bring her inside,” Jinenji’s mother said sharply. “She should rest.”

“Obaa-san,” Kagome protested, “I’m _fine_.”

“You’re not fine,” the old woman snapped. “Look at you!”

“Keh,” said Inuyasha, nestling Kagome closer to his chest, “I think I’ll just keep her with me.” He didn’t love the old woman’s insinuations that he couldn’t take care of his wife. 

Jinenji sighed as his mother glared at Inuyasha. “Come on,” he said to the other hanyou. “I’ll bring you and Kagome out to the garden. She can help me cut the herbs, and you can take some back with you. I have seeds for you as well, Kagome.”

“Thank you, Jinenji,” Kagome breathed, “I really appreciate that.”

“Let’s go, Jinenji,” said Inuyasha shortly. Jinenji’s mother always rubbed him the wrong fucking way.

Still carrying Kagome, Inuyasha followed Jinenji away from the house and towards the garden. He huffed a little, but Kagome’s little mewl and her upturned eyes made him shut up immediately. This was for her; it was all for her. He just had to keep remembering that this was not about him; this was not about his wounded pride or his feelings of inadequacy. This about Kagome, and her health, and her well-being.

Kagome. Always and forever: it was all for Kagome. She always...came first.

Jinenji’s garden was a large plot of land divided into four even squares. Before Kagome had left to go back to her time for those three terrible years, she had told Jinenji about the theory of crop rotation, and he had taken that to heart. He rotated his herbs and his vegetables every year, and the result was that he had a wildly thriving garden, one that fed Jinenji and his mother quite well. For now, though, they settled at the part of the garden that held Jinenji’s herbs, and he immediately set about sifting through the different plants, looking for what he needed specifically. Inuyasha set Kagome down next to Jinenji, who began pulling the herbs he needed and showing them to her. 

“Here,” he was saying. “We’ll make a poultice and I’ll use this reed mace; that will help with the injury. Then, I’ll combine To-ki and sen-kyu; they are really good for soothing pain.” He handed her a knife, and several of the herbs. “Would you like to help me trim them down? The reed mace in particular needs to be cut up.”

Kagome smiled. “I’d be happy to help you,” she said, accepting the knife from him. She set the herbs in her lap and began to work. Jinenji smiled briefly, then stood up. He turned to Inuyasha, who was standing a few feet away, his arms tucked away in the sleeves of his haori. His normal scowl was replaced by a tender, concerned face. 

“She has not been healing well, Inuyasha,” Jinenji said in his usual soft voice.

“She has not.” His voice was gruff, but not angry.

“She has been pushing herself hard?” Jinenji turned his wide blue eyes to his friend.

Inuyasha scoffed. “You know Kagome.”

“I do.” Jinenji frowned. They both watched her working on the herbs; she was humming softly to herself.

“I—I can’t keep an eye on her every second of every day, Jinenji.”

Jinenji sighed. “No one is asking you to do that, Inuyasha.”

“And yet I feel like shit because this happened to her.”

“I know you do.” They went back to watching her again.

“You—you have to let her have some space, Inuyasha.” Jinenji’s voice was soft, but held the wisdom of a man who had seen much and been through more. “I know how hard it is for you to let her go a little, but you need to let her try, and fail.”

“She—she didn’t fail, Jinenji.” Inuyasha’s voice was as hard as Jinenji’s was soft. “She saved my fucking life. She did what she needed to do in order to protect us both. She exorcised the youkai. She purified the Hitoukon. She kicked fucking ass. She just…” He grunted, then sighed. “It’s hard to watch her get hurt.”

“I know.” Jinenji’s eyes turned to Inuyasha. “But she’s finding her way, and you have to let her. She’s doing really well. She is.”

A shriek caused both Inuyasha and Jinenji to look up. In an instant Inuyasha was by her side. “What is it, Kagome?” he asked frantically. “What happened?” He began to sniff her all over, but drew back in horror when she showed him her palm. It had been slashed, badly; the blood was gushing everywhere. Her kosode and hakama were completely covered already.

“What did you do, koishii?” he asked her tenderly. He took her hand in his, and pressed the sleeve of his haori against her palm. He looked around; Jinenji was already on his way with a linen cloth. He gripped it in his teeth, tore a piece, and then handed it to Inuyasha, who quickly began wrapping her hand.

“I...I...my hand slipped,” she said lamely.

“It’s okay,” he said immediately, winding the cloth tightly around her palm. She winced, and then started to cry, rubbing her face with her good hand. “Oh, Kagome,” he said quickly. “This will heal. Your leg will heal. You’re doing great. You really are, okay?”

“I’m not!” she wailed. She threw her face into Inuyasha’s shoulder and began to sob. “I’m a huge klutz, I can barely walk, I almost cut my hand in half. I’m not doing great, Inuyasha! I’m a failure!” She was crying so hard he could barely understand her. His arms wrapped around her automatically.

“It’s—it’s gonna be okay,” he said. 

“It’s not gonna be okay, _Inuyasha_!” she snapped through her tears. “I can’t walk, and now I can’t use my hand. I’m such a freaking mess!”

Inuyasha stroked her hair gently. “It’s totally okay,” he said. “You’re not a mess. You’re not,” he added when he felt her open her mouth against his shoulder. “I...I should be doing a better job looking out for you, Kagome. This is my fault.”

“No, Inuyasha,” she wept, “I am just a mess. I want to go home!”

Inuyasha froze as Kagome continued to weep in his arms. How...how could he…

“I...I don’t mean that,” she said, crying harder now. “I just...I don’t want to leave you. But I don’t know how to do this...not at all!”

Inuyasha’s heart began to break into a million pieces as he held his sobbing wife. 

He couldn’t fix this for her. He couldn’t help her.

“Kagome.” Inuyasha looked up, and realized that Jinenji was now beside them. Kagome lifted her eyes, which were red-rimmed and full of tears. Her poor face was swollen and streaked. She blinked at Jinenji, long and slow.

“I know this isn’t what you are used to,” he said slowly, “but you are learning, and everyday, you are getting stronger. I can see it, and I know Inuyasha can see it too. You’ve had a setback, yes. But you will get through this. Inuyasha will help you; he is your husband. And I will help you, because I’m your friend.”

[ ](https://dis-gruntled-beast.tumblr.com/post/638300564577468416/scar-5-ink-and-watercolour-on-a4-arches)

Artwork by [dis-gruntled-beast](https://dis-gruntled-beast.tumblr.com/)

* * *

Kagome blinked again; Inuyasha gently applied pressure to her hand. “You’re not alone, ‘Gome,” he said gently. “You have me, and Jinenji, and Kaede, and Miroku, and Sango, and Shippo. We’re all here for you; we’re all here to help you. All you need to do is let us.” He held her closely; he stroked her hair; he sensed that the salt in her scent was gradually starting to fade. 

At long last she pulled back and looked up at her husband. “I...you’re right,” she said slowly. “I know you are. But I _want_ to be a good wife to you. I _want_ to fit in here. I _want_ everything to be perfect.”

Inuyasha tilted her head up and kissed her softly. “I don’t want you to be perfect,” he replied quietly. “I want you to be _Kagome_. And the Kagome I love? She’s far from ‘perfect,’ but she is ‘perfect’... just for me.”

“Inuyasha,” she whispered, and pressed her lips to his again. The kiss was soft, and sweet, and full of her pain and her loneliness and their love for each other.

“It’s not gonna be perfect, and it’s not gonna always be amazing,” he whispered, “but I will be with you, every step of the way.”

“O—Okay,” she whispered back, their lips barely touching. “I love you.”

“And I love you,” he said, smiling softly. He pulled back and held up her hand. “I think this one is going to leave a little bit of a mark, unfortunately.” He leaned in and kissed it. “But it will be okay.”

“I know,” she replied. She giggled a little. “I guess this is one scar for the day we realized nothing is perfect, right?”

He cupped her bloody hand to his face, and smiled back. He closed his eyes at the feel of her skin against his. “You’re right,” he said. “You’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make Kagome’s poultice, Jinenji uses Reed mace for injury; kitagawa (To-ki) for soothing pain; Makino (sen-kyu) also for soothing pain.
> 
> We'll be taking a short break from Scars, but will be back on Saturday, Dec. 26. Thanks everyone so much, and please stay safe and well!


	6. Scar 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome babysits for Baby Hisui, and Inuyasha catches them both asleep. Inuyasha and Kagome come to an important realization.
> 
> Featuring commissioned artwork from [clearwillow!](https://clearwillow.tumblr.com/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that you are all safe and doing well!
> 
> The [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/) party train keeps rolling here into Scar 6, where Inuyasha and Kagome make an important realization about their future...I wonder what it could be?

“Kagome? I need to take the girls over to Kaede’s for a bit to bring her some herbs that they picked. Will you be all right if I leave you with Hisui for a few minutes?”

Sango looked at her friend, who was cuddling baby Hisui in her arms, whispering little songs in his tiny ears, playing with his tiny baby fingers, tickling his tiny baby toes. She couldn’t help but smile. Kagome had had a rough week not that long ago, but she was healed, and she was doing much better. The scar on her leg was just about gone, and her hand had healed nicely. And now, Kagome felt comfortable visiting her friends, and going places without Inuyasha...who was (mostly) okay with her going places without him, too.

Kagome loved visiting Sango—really, she did! Sango was her best friend, after all. But there was something about the girls, and the baby...Kin’u and Gyokuto were so cute, and sweet, and well-behaved, and Hisui…

Gods. Kagome just wanted to snuggle him, all the freaking time.

He was so soft, and sweet, and squishy, just like all good fat babies should be. He crawled a little, stood a lot, and preferred to be rocked to sleep more than anything else. 

So when Sango needed to go on an errand, and couldn’t leave because Hisui needed a nap, it was Kagome who often came over and helped out with him. And Kagome was always happy to spend an afternoon with a baby cuddled on her lap. In fact, she was so caught up in baby love that she didn’t even hear Sango and the girls leave.

And this was the moment Kagome had been waiting for: the moment she and Hisui would be alone. He was a little fussy; Kagome knew that he was missing his mama, and so she struggled to her feet (why exactly did babies suddenly feel so heavy when you tried to stand?) and began to pace up and down the length of the hut, whispering soft words to him, singing soft lullabies that she remembered her mother singing to Sota when he was fussy, and patting his bottom gently. She’d only been a little girl herself when Sota was born, but Kagome’s father had died right before Sota was born, and her mother did a lot of crying in those days...way more than Kagome liked to recall. 

So, Sota’s care had sometimes fallen to Kagome. Even if she was just carrying him, or pushing him around in a carriage at the shrine, Kagome had _loved_ taking care of her baby brother. She loved taking care of Hisui for Sango, too.

Because in her heart of hearts, Kagome hoped that someday, this would be her, snuggling her own baby, pacing up and down in her own hut, singing lullabies to her beautiful, perfect, fussy child.

Even though she knew that she shouldn’t, she often found herself dreaming of the day when she and Inuyasha would have a baby of their own. The baby would be a girl, of course (she dreaded to think what a son of Inuyasha’s would be like, although she had to admit that a tiny version of Inuyasha would be pretty adorable), with dark hair like her mom and golden eyes like her dad. She would be powerful, headstrong, and incredibly smart—too smart, really, for her own good. 

But Kagome also knew that these things took time, and that she wasn’t in any hurry (not really) to have a baby. Because really? She had been back in Inuyasha’s time for only a short while, and she’d been without him for three whole years. She wanted to soak up every second they had alone together, before a baby came and she had to share him. 

Inuyasha was _hers_ ; all hers, and only hers. Just like she was his.

Hisui started fussing again in her arms, and Kagome adjusted him so that he was now resting against her shoulder. She supported his little bottom with one hand, then reached up with the other to rub his back in a comforting, circular motion, occasionally pausing to pat his behind again. She decided to try the Edo lullaby, to see if that would calm him.

In quiet, hushed tones, Kagome began to sing:

 _“Nen, nen korori yo, Okorori yo.  
_ _Bōya wa yoi koda, Nenneshina~  
  
_ _Bōya no omori wa, Doko e itta?  
_ _Ano yama koete, sato e itta._

 _Sato no miyagē ni, nani morōta  
_ _Denden taiko ni, shō no fue.”_

As she sang the classic lullaby, she could feel Hisui starting to calm against her shoulder. He snuggled in deep, and Kagome couldn’t help but nuzzle his hair with her nose. She paused for a moment, inhaling his soft, sweet baby scent, feeling his calmness wash over her, and allowing his scent to quell her own anxiety. 

Eventually, she felt Hisui’s breathing grow soft and regular, and Kagome repositioned him so that he was sleeping peacefully in her arms. She crossed her legs and lowered herself to the ground, resting her back against the hut wall. She slowly rocked Hisui from side to side and continued to pat his bottom gently. Her breathing slowed, and she rested her head back against the wall; her body was so tired from coaxing him to sleep. She just needed a few minutes; surely Hisui couldn’t fault her for needing a little relaxation while he dozed?

And that is how Inuyasha found them when he came into the hur to check on Kagome. He and Miroku had returned from their assignment, and had stopped at Kaede’s to have her check out a slice Miroku had taken to his arm. Sango and the girls were there, and Sango told Inuyasha that Kagome was back at their hut, babysitting Hisui. So, he had fully expected to go back to the hut and see a frantic Kagome rocking Hisui, who would be crying and crying and crying.

He did not expect to see Kagome, completely asleep, holding an also completely asleep Hisui in her arms, their faces both at peace, their bodies in a state of relaxation. He had raced to Sango and Miroku’s hut—not that he knew what to do with a baby—that was for sure—but he definitely wanted to try and help Kagome, if he could. 

But to see them both asleep? Their mouths hanging open, just the slightest bit of drool? It was more cuteness than he could bear, and Inuyasha had to hold back a laugh as he took in the sight of Kagome and Hisui, both completely passed out.

[ ](https://clearwillow.tumblr.com/post/638577400034279424/birthday-art-for-nartista-and-commissioned-by)

Commissioned Artwork by [clearwillow](https://clearwillow.tumblr.com/)

* * *

Slowly, quietly, Inuyasha made his way across the hut to the wall where they were sleeping. He settled himself next to them, and leaned over and kissed her cheek. It might wake her, he knew; the baby might get tickled by his hair, wake up, and then cry. But she was so beautiful, and just seeing Kagome resting there, with a baby in her arms...it was…

Well, it _did things_ to his insides. It made him feel a little squeamish, but also, warm? Bubbly? Like, he _liked_ the idea of seeing Kagome holding a baby? And, that maybe, just maybe...he could want a baby, too?

And then Hisui hiccuped, and cried, and then screamed, jostling Kagome wide awake. She jumped as she opened her eyes, then saw Inuyasha sitting close beside them, and she immediately relaxed and smiled. Hisui’s cries grew louder; her smile shifted to a frown, as she looked down at the little boy in her arms, who was now very upset and crying an awful lot. 

“Shhh, Hisui,” Kagome soothed, running her fingers gently over his dark hair. “It’s your Auntie Kagome and your Uncle Inuyasha. We’re not here to hurt you…”

That seemed to enrage Hisui even more, who started to wail more and more loudly. His tiny adorable face was puffing up, a bright red, and his little eyes were screwed shut. His hands and feet were flailing around wildly, and Kagome gasped as one particularly sharp nail caught her arm, and she winced at the pain. 

Inuyasha wanted to help—fuck, he really did!—but the baby’s wailing was so loud that he could do little more than cringe while his ears pinned back against his skull. 

Wait, was this what it was like to have a baby? The screaming, and the crying, and the inability to get them to quiet down? 

Because if it was, maybe Inuyasha was out.

But Kagome just laughed and rocked Hisui gently in her arms. She turned him upright and rested him against her shoulder, and instantly he settled down and started to go back to sleep, his breathing slowly becoming even and regular as Kagome bounced him up and down and gently patted his bottom. 

When it was clear that Hisui was asleep again, Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other, neither daring to breathe. 

“When—when did you get back?” Kagome asked at last, in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Not too long ago,” Inuyasha replied softly. “Miroku needed Kaede-obaba to look at a gash he had received while we were fighting the boar—oh, fuck me, ‘Gome!” he whisper-yelled. “Did you look at _your_ fucking arm?”

Kagome looked down at her arm and winced. Hisui’s little lethal toenail had snagged on a piece of her skin and yanked it away, leaving a fairly short, but deep, gash that was bleeding. 

“Just where the fuck did that come from?” Inuyasha breathed. 

“I guess when he was crying?” Kagome whispered back. “He was all over the place, and I bet his toenail got caught on my skin. Isn’t that right, Hisui-chan?” She kissed the sleeping boy’s cheek, then turned to her husband.

“If you take him, I can clean my arm up,” she said. “Will you take him?”

“Fuck no I won’t!” Inuyasha exclaimed as loudly as he dared. “I don’t hold babies!”

“You do now,” Kagome said, and scooted close enough to him that she could slide Hisui from her shoulder to Inuyasha’s. Inuyasha tried to recoil, but Kagome wouldn’t let him; she held Hisui carefully so he wouldn’t move, and then gently transferred him from her shoulder to Inuyasha’s. She adjusted Inuyasha’s shoulder so Hisui had a little more cushion, then showed Inuyasha how to wrap his right arm around Hisui’s body, curving around his bottom to hold him in place. Then, she took Inuyasha’s left hand and rested it on Hisui’s back. “Rub it gently,” she whispered, “and he’ll stay asleep.”

She watched approvingly as Inuyasha carefully, gingerly, shifted the sleeping baby in his arms; Hisui’s cheek rested against Inuyasha’s shoulder, his tiny fist against his mouth. Inuyasha’s eyes slid nervously to the sleeping child, but when he didn’t move, Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief.

As he relaxed, he was immediately overwhelmed by the sensation of holding a baby for the first time. Inuyasha felt Hisui’s soft, soft skin. He could hear Hisui’s gentle breathing, almost like a purr, with the occasional snore thrown in. He felt (and heard) Hisui’s heartbeat, close against his own chest, beating faster than what he was used to hearing from an adult, or even with Shippo. And he smelled….well.

Hisui smelled...delicious. He smelled a little like Miroku, a little more like Sango, and a lot like sweet milk, and fresh linens, and other things that Inuyasha couldn’t quite identify. He found himself turning his head and nestling his nose in Hisui’s hair, and inhaling, gently, so as to not wake the child. He closed his eyes, and just reveled in the delights that are a baby’s scent.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw Kagome watching him closely. Her eyes were a deep, dark brown, with an incandescent light shining from somewhere inside them. She had a soft smile on her face; slightly satisfied, too, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.

That the crying was bad. Really bad. But the baby quiet? And the baby breathing? And the baby _scent_?

Good. All completely, amazingly, good.

Inuyasha cleared his throat and tried to talk, but he found the words stuck in his throat. He couldn’t...he couldn’t tell her how he felt. But somehow...always somehow….

Kagome _knew_.

“Come on,” he said roughly, “let’s take a look at your cut.”

“It’s not a big deal,” she said, but he reached out and gripped her hand, turning her arm slightly so he could see the wound.

“Fuck, ‘Gome,” he said in a hushed tone, “can babies do _that_ to you?”

“They can do a lot worse,” she answered seriously. “I can’t tell you how many times Sota head-butted me. I thought for sure he’d broken my nose at least twice.”

Inuyasha’s look of horror was all Kagome needed to set her to giggles.

“Get some linen,” he said, “and let’s clean that up.”

“Okay,” she replied, “I think that I have some in my bag.”

Kagome got up and crossed the room to open her sewing bag. She pulled out an old piece of a yukata that she was using to practice stitches on. She ripped a piece off the fabric, then went to the water bucket. She ladled out a bit of the water, and soaked the linen in it. She then brought the fabric back to Inuyasha, Hisui still sleeping peacefully on his shoulder. Inuyasha nodded at her. “Let me,” he whispered. 

“Oh,” she said, “you have the baby. Let me.”

“Keh,” he retorted, “so that you can hurt yourself again? I can hold the kid and clean you up. Here,” he added, “hold out your arm.”

Kagome sighed, but a sharp look from Inuyasha and she did as she was told. She obediently held out her arm, and Inuyasha nestled Hisui more snugly into the crook of his right arm. When he was sure the baby was still asleep, he reached out with his left hand and took Kagome’s arm tenderly, turning it left and right. 

“See if you can get rid of some of the blood with that linen, wife,” he said, smiling at her affectionately. She blushed, but set to work cleaning the wound, gently washing away the blood. When it was fully clean, she and Inuyasha inspected it closely.

“That’s gonna leave a scar, ‘Gome,” he said worriedly. He laced his fingers through hers, brought her hand up, turned it so he had access to the cut, and gently kissed it, running his tongue along the edges of the wound. Kagome hissed at the contact, but relaxed into her husband’s touch, allowing him to nurture her in the best way that he knew how.

“Inuyasha,” she breathed, watching as he pressed his lips to the site.

“There it is,” he said quietly. “One scar for the day that I knew I wanted a baby with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that Kagome sings for Baby Hisui is called "Edo Lullaby," named such for its city of origin, and is said to be the basis of other Japanese lullabies. The lyrics roughly translate to:
> 
> Hushabye, Hushabye!  
> My good Baby, Sleep!
> 
> Where did my boy's baby-sitter go?  
> Beyond that mountain, back to her home.
> 
> As a souvenir from her home, what did you get?  
> A toy drum and a shō flute.
> 
> Also, you might be thinking, oh Fawnie, there's no way that a baby fingernail could cut someone badly enough to leave a scar! I am here to tell you that baby fingernails are basically little claws, and if you're not careful, slash! I took a little bit of liberty here (like, I've never gotten a scar from a baby fingernail), but I've most definitely been badly scratched and my kids' baby nails also definitely drew blood. Baby toenails AND fingernails are dangerous!
> 
> We'll be finishing up Eight Scars pretty soon now...I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	7. Scar 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome and Inuyasha celebrate one month of being married, in the best possible way. Inuyasha and Kagome mark all the important milestones of their time together thus far.
> 
> Featuring gorgeous commissioned art from [heavenin--hell](https://heavenin--hell.tumblr.com/)!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to the next chapter of Eight Scars! The [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/) birthday train gets ever closer to its destination today. In this chapter, Scar 7, Inuyasha and Kagome celebrate their one-month wedding anniversary. Kagome worries about her body, and Inuyasha shows her that she has _nothing_ to be worried about.
> 
> This chapter contains sexual content, so please do heed the tags!

[ ](https://fawn-eyed-girl.tumblr.com/post/638689500005007360/eight-scars-scar-7-now-live-on-ao3-hello)

Commissioned Artwork by [heavenin--hell](https://heavenin--hell.tumblr.com/)

* * *

Inuyasha and Kagome sat at the fireside in their hut, close together; his arm was snaked around her waist, her head rested on his shoulder.

“Can you believe that we’ve been married for a whole moon cycle, ‘Gome?” Inuyasha asked her quietly. 

Kagome hummed and nuzzled her cheek into his shoulder; he hissed softly at the contact. 

The past month had been...the best month of her life. Having Inuyasha so close to her, all the time—to share a bed with him, to share a _life_ with him, it was better than any dreams she could have ever imagined. She blushed thinking about all the love that Inuyasha lavished on her, night after night; she sighed, thinking about the way that he tenderly cared for her after their lovemaking. They were slowly learning how to fit together, and Kagome was thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.

Being together, like this, like they were now, after having been apart for so many years: Kagome had learned to cherish each moment, to enjoy the space and the quiet, just as much as the noise and the excitement, because in the end, it all mattered, and in the end, it all made up their life together.

“What are you thinking about, wife?” Inuyasha chuckled as he drew her closer. Kagome knew that he could scent her arousal, and that he was currently trying to figure out if she might be up for a little bit of fun.

Kagome giggled and turned to straddle his lap. She pressed her lips to his, gently, reverently, and he moaned under her touch. “Just about you, anata,” she whispered. “About you, and about how much I love you. About this past month, and how every day with you is sacred, because it’s one day more than I ever thought I would get to spend with you, ever again.”

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips; she opened them for him, allowing his long, thick tongue to snake its way across her lips. She moaned softly as his tongue found her canines and massaged them gently, her body leaning into his.

“Are you up for some fun tonight, wife?” he murmured against her lips.

“Always, husband,” Kagome murmured back. She dug her hands inside his haori and kosode, feeling the heat of his skin against her fingertips, and slowly began to undress him. She pushed his clothing back over his shoulders; he shrugged his arms out of his haori as she slowly took in his bare chest. Her breath hitched; her body tensed up just looking at him. Would she ever get tired of how beautiful he was? Of how perfect he was? 

No. She would not. _Ever_.

Kagome latched onto his neck, her tiny blunt teeth digging into his flesh at the place where his skin was the most sensitive, and he growled as she by turns licked and nibbled at the skin.

“Fuck, woman,” he hissed, “you’re gonna leave a mark.”

“Good,” she murmured, biting down extra hard for good measure, “then everyone will know that you’re mine.”

Inuyasha grabbed her wrists and pushed her away from him for a moment; Kagome saw that he had a feral glint in his eyes, and his sclera was changing from white to red. She didn’t want him to turn full youkai—not tonight, and not now—not when she planned on loving him all night long. If he turned full youkai, she would never be able to keep up.

“Come back to me, Inuyasha,” she said quietly. “Your wife wants to make love to _you_ tonight. Do you think that you can please her?” She freed one wrist from his grip and used it to play with the collar of her kosode, tucking her fingers inside the soft, white fabric, and glancing at him coquettishly. As he growled with pleasure, she fiddled with the collar, then slowly dipped one side, then the other, off her shoulders. She slipped one arm out of her sleeve, but Inuyasha was still holding tight to her other arm, and did not look like he wanted to let go.

“Inuyasha,” she said in a quiet voice. “There’s nothing to be jealous of, you know. It’s just you, and me, and our love in this room. No one else is here but us; no one else _will_ be here but us.” She shook her hand free from his and slipped that arm out of her kosode. “Now,” she purred, “can you help me with the rest of my clothes? I can’t seem to get the knot out of my hakama. _But don’t rip them, Inuyasha_ ,” she warned him. “I need to be able to still wear my miko clothes, you know.”

“Keh,” he said, “you don’t need nothing but a yukata to walk around in; you’re much more beautiful that way.” But he did reach down between them to use his claws to delicately work open the knot of her hakama; once the ties were completely undone, he pulled her kosode out so he could slip it off her; all that was left were her breast bindings, and with a few quick yanks, Kagome was out of those as well. 

Inuyasha growled softly; he couldn’t help it. Her body was so fucking perfect, so fucking beautiful; he just wanted to lay down with her and cover her entire form with kisses. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his; Inuyasha’s hands gently massaged her breasts, and he thrilled when he felt her tense and heard her heartbeat picking up. He growled and slowly began to play with her nipples, working them both to hardened pebbles with his claws. Kagome moaned softly and bared her neck to him, a sign of submission that they both loved for her to do. Kagome loved to show Inuyasha that she trusted him implicitly, and Inuyasha’s inu youkai instincts just went ape-shit when she demonstrated an attention to his needs. 

When his fangs scraped her neck in that delicate way that drove her mad, Kagome’s arousal shot up exponentially. Inuyasha could tell: she wanted him, all of him, as quickly as possible. She was shaking her hips, trying to get rid of her hakama; he rose, and tenderly brought her to her feet beside him. Inuyasha leaned his forehead against hers. “Do you need help?” he whispered to her. Kagome nodded, so he began the process of removing the rest of her clothes.

He had already removed her kosode, but the hakama still hung loose about her waist. He tugged at the knot that held them together, and once he felt it give, he knelt back down, hooking the ends of fingers into her hakama, sliding it down her body, until she was able to step out of the bottoms. Once her form was completely nude, he took a moment to examine her in the firelight. She was...no longer the girl who he had kissed in the Meido; that was for sure. Her body had taken on a womanly glow; whether it was hormones, or something else; he didn’t know for sure. But he did know that his body was reacting impossibly strongly to her, whenever they were together. 

Kagome’s scent suddenly shifted from arousal, to one of embarrassment. Her cheeks pinked and she suddenly tried to cover herself.

Inuyasha’s hands caught hers before she could. “What are you doing, ‘Gome?” he asked softly. “Why are you trying to hide yourself? You know that you’re perfect, just as you are.”

Kagome looked down at her body. “It’s just that…” she paused, struggling for the right words. “Since I’ve been here, since I’ve been with you, my body has…” she rubbed her arms. “My body has been beaten up pretty badly, that’s all.”

“What do you mean?” Inuyasha followed her gaze down her form, and then he saw it, and he understood.

The scars. 

Six scars, from six different occasions. Six times she’s gotten so badly hurt that it left a marker on her skin.

Inuyasha looked back at his wife’s face; she was near tears. His heart ached for the sadness she felt—unnecessary sadness, because he loved every single inch of her. As she was.

Inuyasha fell to his knees. “Let’s take a look at those scars,” he said tenderly. He turned her slightly so that he could see the first one on her thigh; the scar she got from when he pulled her too roughly out of the well. “This one,” he said, “brought you back to me, so it might be my favorite of all.” And he kissed the thin white line of skin, rubbing it gently with his tongue.

Next, he took her arm and pulled it toward him. He turned to the inside of her forearm, and found the burn from when she tried to make him dinner for the first time. He leaned forward and kissed that scar. “This one,” he said, “I love because it’s from the first time you tried to cook for me, and it was the night I asked you to marry me.”

He returned her arm to her side, then placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her again slightly, so he could see her hip. There were three claw marks that had left a scar on her skin. He shuddered slightly, knowing that they were from him, but he leaned forward and kissed this one fervently. “And this: I’m a fuckup and gave you this,” he murmured, rubbing his cheek against the soft swell of her hip. “But now whenever I look at it, I remember our wedding night, the happiest night of my life.”

Inuyasha then lifted her right leg and ran the pads of his fingers over the remnants of the burn Kagome received in the battle against the nomorimushi. It ran from her ankle and about halfway up her leg in a spiraling motion; it wasn’t a complete and full scar, but Inuyasha could still see the places where the nomorimushi’s poison had left a forever mark in her skin. He lifted her leg and set her foot against his shoulder; he then slowly kissed as much of the scar as he could. “This one,” he said, “this one you got protecting me. And even though I’m still pissed as hell that you jumped in front of me, I totally fucking get why you did it, and I’m...I’m grateful. To have such an amazing, and powerful, wife. This mark? This mark is proof of that.”

“Inuyasha,” whispered Kagome.

“I’m not done yet,” he told her seriously. He set her foot down, then took her left hand in his. He turned it to the palm, and searched out the thin white line that was the knife scar. “This one,” he said, “this one you got while you were collecting herbs with Jinenji. When we went to see if he could help us find an herb to heal your burn. You were a little careless with the knife.” He pressed her palm to his face and kissed it softly. “This one,” he said, “this one represents how hard you try to heal others, and to heal yourself. And I know that someday? You will be an amazing healer. So this one is representative of your future.”

Kagome was now crying, but Inuyasha didn’t care. He could tell that there was no longer sadness in her scent; instead, she was full of joy, and maybe a little embarrassment.

Finally, he came to her most recent scar: the one she’d received from baby Hisui. He held her arm up, inspecting the wound, which had healed nicely, but was definitely leaving behind a pink-and-white mark that would eventually be a clear scar. He still didn’t understand how a baby’s toenail could cause something like this, but whatever. He’d just make sure their kids always had nicely trimmed nails (or claws, or whatever the fuck they were going to have).

“And this one,” he said at last, pressing his lips to her arm and holding them there for a few moments, while he enjoyed the feel and taste of her skin, “this one you got from a little devil child with lethal toenails. But I was so impressed with how you quieted him down. And then you handed him to me so that you could get cleaned up. I’d never held a fucking baby before; I’d never even _thought_ about it, and fucking hell, Sango and Miroku sure as fuck never let me hold any of the kids when they were babies. And you just handed him right over to me, and he fucking _slept on me_.” Inuyasha’s voice was hushed and reverent. “He slept on me, and we fixed you up, and that scar, ‘Gome? That scar was the day that I knew if we had a baby, which I hope to all the fucking gods we do, that we would be all right.”

He lowered her arm and pulled himself to his feet. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned in close so that their foreheads were touching. “I...love you, Kagome,” he breathed. “I love you, scars and all, and tonight, I want to show you just how much I love you.”

Kagome’s response was simply to kiss him, long and deep and hard; her fingers dropped to his hakama and she began to fumble with the ties. He tried to pull away, but she kept her lips tight to his, determined to undo his ties herself. 

“Kagome,” he breathed.

“Hush,” she whispered. “I’ve got you.” 

And she did. Her fingers had at long last undone the ties, and she opened his hakama so that they could slide down his body. He worked his feet through the bottoms and kicked them aside. Next was his fundoshi; now, though, her fingers were much more nimble, and Inuyasha actually hissed when she made quick work of the fabric and unwound it from his body. Once she’d thrown his fundoshi aside, she began running her hands over his torso, his arms, up the back of his neck. She needed to _feel_ him, just like he had needed to feel her. The heat of his skin warmed her fingertips; the pressure of his lips on hers made her body sing. 

Even though they now made love on a regular basis, sometimes it was still hard for Kagome to remember: he was hers, and he loved her, and she loved him, and that was how it was always going to be.

Kagome slipped one hand between his legs; she found his cock; she circled it with her fingers, and she started to slowly slide her hand up and down on the shaft. She slipped all the way up to the head, caressed it lightly, and ran her thumb in delicate circles. She heard Inuyasha suck in his breath, and she smiled, continuing her gentle touch as she worked to bring him to a hardened length. His was the only cock she’d ever know, but it was also the only cock she would ever need. She leaned forward and ran her tongue along the length of the shaft, and he hissed, and grabbed her shoulders—not to push her, or to force her, but rather, to let her take her own pace, and to let him be able to fully experience everything that she had to offer him.

Because she _loved_ going down on her husband. She loved the way his cock felt inside her mouth; she loved the way that he pulsed, almost uncontrollably; she loved the way that he groaned and sighed her name above her. He was so strong, and powerful, so much of the time; when she had him like this, careening towards the edge, she was the one who felt in power, and she _loved_ having this kind of control over her husband. For once, she got to show him how much she loved him, and for once, she got to see him respond as a vulnerable man.

Just as much as Kagome loved being with him like this, so too did Inuyasha love having her do this to him. Her mouth was warm, and moist, and her tongue always applied the perfect pressure to the head and shaft of his cock. She would occasionally cup his sac, giving it a playful tease, making him growl with pleasure. And sometimes she would press her entire face into the silver fur surrounding the base and just love on him there; her scent mixing with his, her body lavishing him with love and attention. 

Love, and attention: all he needed, all he wanted, from Kagome. Now, and forever.

“Ka—Kagome,” he panted. When she turned her brown eyes up to meet his amber ones. When he saw her smile slightly, he withdrew his cock from her mouth, drew her up so their faces met, and kissed her, hard, and long, and wonderfully.

“Are—are you ready for me, Inuyasha?” she asked softly. He growled, and buried his face in her neck. She keened and bared her throat to him in submission; he immediately began to tease the delicate flesh with his fangs. She moaned his name loudly and jumped into his arms; his fangs still pressing gently into her neck, he brought her to the futon and laid her down. 

Once there, he took a moment to look over her body. He’d already paid her exceptional attention that night, admiring her scars, loving her entire form. But now? Now that he could see her, prostrate and ready for him to fuck her, his entire body howled with the desire to fill her with his seed. She was so...open, and willing, and _loving_.

Did she realize how much he needed her?

He could never be quite sure that she knew the extent of his love for her.

That was why he had to show, every day, every hour, every minute, every goddamn second.

Slowly, almost lazily, he lowered himself to lay beside her, his molten amber eyes never leaving hers. Kagome merely gazed back at him, her own eyes vibrant and playful, a teasing smile on her lips. “What are you in the mood for tonight, husband?” 

Inuyasha laughed: a deep, throaty laugh that was filled with affection for her. “Oh, my wife,” he said in a husky voice, “wouldn’t you like to know?” And one hand gripped her hip tightly, pulling her to him, his claws pricking her skin. The other hand cupped her neck, tilting her lips towards him. Kagome moaned as he kissed her, his lips ghosting hers; when he pulled away, grinning, she grunted and tried to follow him so she could press him into another kiss. Before he would agree, though, he slipped his hand between her thighs and began to explore the soft folds of her sex, her body supple and pliable, her soft hairs caressing his fingers. _Fuck_ ; she felt so good, he was the one moaning, as though he were the one whose sex was being worked over. When the pads of his fingers found the delicate bud that gave her so much pleasure, he toyed with it, coaxing it out, enjoying the soft cries of his wife urging him on, the way her thighs were trying to rub together, and the way that her body was tensing with every stroke. And then he kissed her, and traced the seam of her lips; when she granted him entrance, he shoved his tongue into her mouth, harsh and exploratory, while his fingers moved faster and started working their way down to her entrance. When a claw gently tapped her there, Kagome cried out; when his fingers pressed inside her, her body immediately welcomed him in and held him there, her muscles desperate for something to grip in their desire to release.

No matter how much Kagome tried to speak, Inuyasha kept kissing her, exploring her mouth with his tongue. He wanted to bring her to completion; he wanted to feel as much of her as he could, for as long as he could, before they made love. 

Tonight, he realized, that was what he wanted to do. He wanted to make love to his wife; he wanted to be tender, loving, and gentle; he didn’t want to leave her with scars; he only wanted to leave her with love. 

Then her entire body tensed, and her heels dug into the futon, as she sought her release. He deepened his kiss, and he increased his motions, and Kagome came harshly, moaning around his mouth as her body finally found its orgasm.

Inuyasha licked her lips once more as she fell back against the futon, completely spent from her orgasm. He chuckled as he sat up and adjusted her hips; he rolled on top of her, and she opened her legs, looping her ankles around his back to bring him in close to her. In one movement he was inside her, both of them yelping at the sudden shock of Inuyasha entering Kagome’s moist heat.

“Fuck, wife,” he grunted as he began to move in her, “why the _fuck_ do you feel so good?”

“Because I’m the only woman you’ll ever have,” she giggled, “and I like to keep you on your toes.”

“And I’ll be the only man you ever have,” he growled, shifting his hips and grinding into her more deeply, “and I like you to keep you on _your_ toes.”

“Goo—Good,” she moaned, “because I want you to be the only man inside of me.”

Inuyasha roared as he fucked her, their bodies moving together as one, their souls intertwined, Kagome digging her nails into the small of Inuyasha’s back in order to urge him to go deeper, harder, faster. 

Suddenly, Inuyasha stopped moving, and Kagome looked up at him in surprise. “Inuyasha?” she said hesitantly. “What...what are you doing?”

Inuyasha grunted and sat up. He rolled Kagome onto her side, still buried in her heat, and rose up on one knee. He dropped his right arm beside her; his left hand gripped her left hip tightly.

“Inu— _yasha_ ,” Kagome moaned, as the new angle drove him deeper into her depths. 

“Fuck, Kagome,” Inuyasha panted, each word accentuated by a thrust, “ _fuck_.” 

The feel of her husband, moving in and out of her, made Kagome quake. His grunts, his growls, his pants of her name, combined with the way he fucked her, were bringing Kagome to the brink quickly. Her body was tensing with each push in, and clinging to him each time he withdrew. Her walls were on fire, and that fire was rapidly spreading through her body. She felt Inuyasha’s grip on her tighten as she started to twist and shift away from him involuntarily. She was losing control, and with Inuyasha above her, holding onto her, keeping her secure, she felt safe to do so.

“Come on, Kagome,” he grunted. “I can feel you getting close. Cum for me, wife. I can feel that you want to.”

Kagome’s hips tried to jerk away, but Inuyasha’s grip held her steady. She moaned, he thrust into her, and together they found their release as Inuyasha coated her walls with his seed. 

“That—That’s it, koishii,” he groaned, arching his back into her as she relaxed and tensed with the waves of her orgasm. Slowly, he returned her to her back, still sheathed inside her. When he began to pull out, Kagome stopped him. 

“Let me feel you for a little bit longer, Inuyasha,” she murmured. “Please, please let me feel you inside me a little longer.”

Inuyasha was only too happy to oblige. He would do anything to stay close to her, for as long as he could. He lowered himself to her, his lips dancing over hers; her arms circled his torso and drew him closer, the pressure of her lips on his increasing. 

He...he loved her. So much. 

Inuyasha thought back to the day that he had held Hisui for the first time; the day that Kagome got cut; the day that he helped clean her up. He’d said then that he knew he wanted a baby with her, and after the love they’d just created, he was feeling strangely warm, happy, sated. 

Elated.

When her tongue pushed between his lips and lightly massaged his fangs, Inuyasha hummed and swirled his tongue with hers. She was so delectable, so enticing, especially in the afterglow of sex. And now...he couldn’t help but feel like maybe…

“Inuyasha?” Kagome had somehow broken their kiss and was now giggling. Her fingers were covering his left hand, which was still pressed into her hip. “I...think we might have the potential for another scar.”

“Fuck!” Inuyasha pulled out of her swiftly and rolled back onto his knees. He inspected her left hip, and sure enough, there was a deep cut from the claw on his thumb. He dropped his head to her chest. “Fuck, Kagome,” he said again. “I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

Kagome was now laughing openly. “If you were going to give me another scar on my hips,” she said, lifting his head from between her breasts, “you could have at least made it a matching set?”

Inuyasha gaped at her; he took in her dancing brown eyes, the little laugh lines crinkling around them, the way her teeth flashed when she laughed so genuinely and freely...every day, every night, she was _his_ , and he was _hers_.

Inuyasha dropped to her hip and tenderly began to lap at the blood. Kagome gasped and went to remove his face, but a light nip at her belly staved her off, and he went back to his gentle laving, cleaning her, showing her that he was a good husband...a good mate. 

That he could take care of her, and any future children they might have. 

“Inuyasha,” Kagome gasped. “You don’t have to do that, you know.”

Inuyasha turned his golden eyes on his wife; she shivered when she saw the feral glint. He was relying on instinct, she suddenly knew, and she would allow him to do what he needed to do in order to feel sated and calm.

When he was at last satisfied with his work, he gave the whole of her belly one long lick. Kagome shivered. “What was that for, Inuyasha?” she whispered.

Inuyasha leaned forward and kissed her; she could taste her blood on his lips, and it sent shockwaves all the way to her core. “That’s one kiss, and one scar, for the day we made a baby,” he said.

Kagome started to giggle again. “You don’t know that’s what we did today!” she exclaimed, hitting him lightly. When he just grinned at her, one fang poking out, her giggled ceased. “You’re kidding, right?” she said to him. “Tell me that you’re just kidding?”

Inuyasha simply continued to grin, and leaned back in to kiss her some more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha and Kagome have done a proper celebration for their wedding anniversary, don't you think?
> 
> Just one more chapter left in Eight Scars...what do you think the last scar will be? Find out tomorrow, and as always, thanks everyone for reading!!


	8. Scar 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome is insecure about her pregnant body. Inuyasha is here to reassure her.
> 
> Featuring gorgeous commissioned art by [thunderpot](https://thunderpot.tumblr.com/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to the very last chapter of Eight Scars! Here the [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/) birthday celebration comes to an end (for this fic, anyway), but nartista, I want to say again how much we all love you, and appreciate you. I am in particular so grateful for your friendship, and am continually impressed by your kindness, your grace, and your talent. I can't wait to see what 2021 brings for you, my dear friend!
> 
> And now! The last chapter! Everyone, please enjoy!

Kagome sighed as she waddled around the hut, trying to straighten up before Inuyasha came home. The last six or so months had been _excruciating_ for her; Inuyasha had stopped letting her accompany him on youkai hunts, and now, as the months dragged by, he tried to have someone keeping an eye on her at all times, especially when he couldn’t. Kaede, Sango, Rin...Kagome smiled, thinking of the adorable girl and how eager she was to help, and how, as the months ticked by, Kagome became more and more eager to _have_ Rin help.

But now, she was alone, and Kagome found that she relished the silence; she relished these days when she was alone.

Because she knew in a few very short weeks, she would never be alone again. 

She smiled as she rubbed her belly absentmindedly; she couldn’t help it when she thought of the new life...a life that was half her, and half Inuyasha...

A life that was half _her_. And half _Inuyasha_.

Kagome giggled to herself when she thought about Inuyasha’s face when he had first smelled the difference in her scent. While he had suspected that there might be a baby, when he was finally _able_ to detect the change in her scent? It had been part excitement, part disbelief, and part absolute terror. In fact, he’d gone to the Goshinboku and hidden away up there for hours, refusing to come down until Kagome was forced to use _Osuwari_ on him, causing him to fall from the tree with a huge _crash_. She hadn’t used that on him for months, and he’d been so angry at first, but when he saw his pregnant wife, at his side and weeping over using the spell on him, all his anger had simply melted away.

And pregnancy _had_ been kind of fun, once the morning sickness went away. She developed strange cravings, and an insatiable desire for her husband to take her in all sorts of ways that made him blush and made her keen. But as Kagome entered the third trimester, and as she grew bigger and bigger, the fun was replaced by something else.

Kagome sighed and stripped out of her work kimono, about to get ready for bed. She paused and ran her hands over her body; the baby kicked, and Kagome gently pressed back into her tummy. 

“Not now, darling,” she whispered. “Mama needs a minute.”

But the baby in her belly wasn’t cooperating; it was hiccuping, and Kagome could feel the hiccups, deep inside of her, radiating throughout her belly and down her legs. The baby then shifted, and Kagome felt a wave of nausea as the baby slipped its butt forward, pressing against the delicate skin of her stomach. She hissed as she felt a foot make its way into her rib cage (not fucking _again!_ ), and she paused, her breath caught.

“Dammit,” she whispered, and moved her hands underneath her right breast, which was already heavy with milk, and gently pushed in and down, trying to persuade the baby’s foot from between her ribs and back into her belly. She sighed in relief as it did (reluctantly, Kagome thought), and the hiccups began again. Kagome patted the butt that was now sticking awkwardly out of her stomach, making a little extra ridge on her skin.

“Come on,” she urged the baby, “it’s time to go back to where you belong. Mama needs a break. _Please_ ,” she added in a whisper, “please give Mama a break.”

The baby seemed to listen, and settled back down into the deepest part of her belly. Kagome sighed again; it was hard for Kaede to tell how much time was left, because the baby kept moving around so damn much.

 _Just like their Papa_ , Kagome thought, a hint of a smile playing across her lips.

Kagome paused, and looked down at her body, at her belly, at her baby, and tried not to be repulsed.

Her breasts, first.

She’d had to stop wearing the bra she brought back from Sengoku Jidai pretty early on in her pregnancy. Her breasts were _growing_ —and every day, it seemed like!—and she just felt like an old, overused cow. Sango had taught her how to bind her breasts, and it helped some, but mostly Kagome felt like she was walking around with two giant jugs of milk attached to her chest. Especially as she entered the later months, when her breasts grew full and heavy, no amount of wrapping was keeping them in place now, so often she just went without. 

Next, her thighs and ass.

It was like her body had melted into something unfamiliar, unknown; she barely recognized it as she dressed herself each morning, and it looked even more foreign as she undressed at night. Her thighs felt larger; her ass felt wider; and even though Kaede said that her body was preparing for childbirth, she couldn’t help but feel like her body was preparing for six kids to come out, not just one (hopefully—oh god, what if there _were_ two)?

Kagome sighed and ran her hands over her hips, and under her belly. Like her breasts, it was so heavy now, and she couldn’t really think about a time when she had been thinner, or a time when she would be again. She looked at Sango, and was always astonished that she did this...twice. And pushed out two babies the first time? Her friend _was_ a warrior.

Her fingers slipped under her belly, to the delicate places that were now hidden by the baby. She’d given up wearing any kind of undergarment, deciding instead that a lack of undergarments made things easier, should she go into early labor. Less to clean; less to take off. And while her second trimester had been full of insatiable sex, her third trimester was basically sex-free. Inuyasha was afraid to touch her, for fear of “hurting” the baby, and her gag reflex had increased exponentially, thanks to her insides being shoved around by a baby who liked to travel all the way to her rib cage. So they did what they could, how they could, but Kagome couldn’t wait until her baby was finished cooking, so that they could be that much closer to resuming the kind of intimacy they had only so recently become accustomed to.

Her baby...Kagome wrapped her arms around her belly and hugged it, her thumbs running down the sides, caressing the stretch marks that had popped up in the last few weeks. The stretch marks were the thing that she maybe dreaded the most about pregnancy; they were a permanent marker of the fact that she’d had children, and that her husband had gotten her pregnant. No one would see her belly but Inuyasha, but still. She worried about it. She worried about it _a lot_.

Would she be able to get back into fighting shape? Would she be able to be herself again, ride on Inuyasha’s back, shoot arrows, defeat nefarious youkai?

Would she be able to do any of it? To do _all_ of it?

And most importantly: would Inuyasha continue to find her attractive, after she had the baby? Would he continue to love her, to make love to her, to shower her with the affection that he’d finally come around to giving her, that she soaked in and gave right back to him? Would their relationship grow, and continue to evolve?

Her thumbs brushed over her stretch marks again, and tears started to fall from her cheeks.

She knew it wasn’t right to cry over this. To cry over her changing body. To worry that she wasn’t good enough for her husband. That he would leave her for someone else. That she would be alone, with their baby. A baby she might resent, because it would have driven Inuyasha away from her.

Kagome trailed her fingers from her belly, up her arms, and to her face, where she rested her cheeks in her hands and sobbed.

“‘Gome?” Inuyasha’s voice outside told her that he must have returned from his expedition earlier than she expected. She sank onto the dirt floor, not caring if she was pregnant, and sobbed, and sobbed.

The bamboo doormat jostled aside, and instantly Inuyasha was at her side and covering her nose, her lips, her cheeks—whatever he could touch—with his lips. “Kagome, Kagome,” he whispered against her ear, “Koishii...what is it? What’s wrong?”

Kagome turned and threw her arms around her husband, and he held her awkwardly, patting her naked back as she sobbed into his chest.

“Kagome,” he said, again, his voice now laced with concern, “ _what the fuck is wrong_?”

“I—I—” It was silly. She knew this. But she felt like her body was failing her, and how would she be able to hold onto a man as handsome and wonderful and special as Inuyasha if she looked _like this_?

“I—I—” She tried to get a hold of her senses, to bring herself back under control. But it was hard. “I’m...I’m…” she pulled away and stood up. Inuyasha could see all of her: her beautiful, tear-streaked face; her breasts, heavy with milk; her belly, large and full; her hips, ready to give birth to his child.

Kagome had never looked more beautiful than she did in this moment. She had never looked more perfect; she had never looked more complete.

And suddenly, Inuyasha saw her face, saw her chest, heaving, straining against the tears that were threatening to fall, and he knew what he had to do.

He crawled over to her, and pulled himself up to his knees. He circled his arms around her stomach, and laid his head against her stretched-out navel, one ear listening for his child, who was currently rolling around in their mama’s belly.

“Oh, ‘Gome,” he said quietly. “You are beautiful. You are beautiful, and beyond perfect, and I love you.”

“But I’m so ugly!” she cried, dropping her head in agony. Inuyasha’s heart twisted at the sight of his wife, pregnant and resplendent, not able to see her own beauty.

“Hush, ‘Gome,” he replied, tilting her chin back tenderly until she was standing again. He pressed his lips to her belly reverently, dragging his lips against the length of her stretched out stomach. When he came to her stretch marks, Kagome’s breath hitched, but Inuyasha simply laved the skin there gently, massaging it with his tongue, then kissing it deeply and repeatedly.

“Here,” he said, his claws lightly tracing the stretch marks, “here is where I will always know that you bore my child. Whenever I look at you, right here, I will remember how you carried our child, how you gave birth to our child, and how you continued to love that child...and me.”

As he continued to kiss and caress those dreaded stretch marks, Kagome’s tears eventually subsided. His gentle, loving touch...Kagome could see…

Inuyasha didn’t hate her body; he loved it.

Inuyasha didn’t hate her stretch marks; he loved them.

Inuyasha loved...all of her. 

All of her faults; all of her imperfections; all of her scars; none of them mattered to him.

To Inuyasha, only Kagome mattered.

Just like for Kagome, only Inuyasha mattered.

And in a few weeks, they would have another little soul to love, to worship, to kiss and snuggle. 

And Kagome realized...she couldn’t wait.

[ ](https://thunderpot.tumblr.com/post/638768316979249152/this-baby-is-under-the-cut-for-some-very-wholesome)

Commissioned Artwork by [thunderpot](link-to-wherever-your-artist-page)

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